Borne out of a desire to spend less time on planes and to live a more balanced life, Jo Anne founded Adams-Gabbert & Associates, Inc. in 1999 with $5,000 of her own money. Based in Lee’s Summit, the company specializes in consulting, project management, and process analysis with the focus on improving business operations. Basically, if your business is ailing, Adams-Gabbert & Associates can help you by diagnosing the problem and providing a remedy.A graduate of Central Missouri State University, Jo Anne began her career in 1987 at Southwestern Bell Telephone Company (SBC) in St. Louis, Missouri. During her nine-year tenure with SBC, Jo Anne was recognized with the “Vice Presidential Award for Quality,” the “Key Contributor Award” and the “Nova Award” for outstanding achievement.
In 1996, Jo Anne joined the Management Consulting Group of Ernst & Young, LLP (E&Y) in their Kansas City office. While at Ernst & Young, Jo Anne spent much of her consulting time leading teams on business process improvement and IT projects for Fortune 500 companies.
Jo Anne is a proud member the Kansas City Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), the Kansas City Council of Women Business Owners (KC-CWBO) and WIPP (Women Impacting Public Policy). She serves on the Board of Directors at the Lee’s Summit Chamber of Commerce, Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, KC Chapter of NAWBO and The Family Conservancy. She is a founding member of the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce and the Advisory Board of CMSU.
Adams-Gabbert was recently honored as a Top 25 Under 25 Company by Small Business Monthly. In 2003 the company was recognized by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce as one their “Top Ten Small Businesses of the Year”. The Lee’s Summit Chamber of Commerce selected Adams-Gabbert as their “Small Business of the Year” for 2003. Jo Anne has also been honored as a Regional Finalist in the “Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year” awards program in 2001, 2003 and 2004.
In 2004, for the third consecutive year, Adams-Gabbert was selected as a “Top Diversity Owned Business in Missouri” by Div2000.com. The Div50 represents the leading diversity (women and minority) owned businesses in each state.
What is a typical day at your office like?
Each day there are lots of emails and return phone calls to get through. I also review the financials and review client proposals for completeness and pricing. I spend about 30% of each day in the office. The rest of the time, I am in meetings with clients, associates, vendors working on business development, strategy and plans for future growth.
What is the most challenging part of your job?
Staying on top of market trends is the most challenging part of my job. The management consulting field is fast-paced and ever-evolving. Tracking merger activity and staying on top of buzz words and trends requires lots of reading and monitoring. I’m a news junkie and also regularly study industry trends in Project Management and Business Process Improvement.
What has been the most rewarding part of your job?
I define success by different forms. I feel successful when I see a newly-trained associate get their first contract signed. It’s great to witness the growth in people---both personal and professional growth. I’ve seen so many of our associates get married, have children and other successes in life. Also, I measure success by customer satisfaction---which we regularly monitor---and it’s high. That tells me that we’re doing a great job for our clients.
What is the most indispensable item in your office?
My computer and cell phone are the most important. Also, my staff put together a “Feel Good Bucket” as a gift to me for Boss’ Day a few years ago. It’s filled with items designed to remind me of the great things we’ve accomplished. It’s presence in my office makes me happy and it’s something that I turn to when I need a pick-me-up.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a pharmacist. My Mom would send me to Green Cross Drug Store. I would watch the pharmacists at work and think how important they seemed to be and how their jobs must be so exciting. Then in high school, I found that I really liked chemistry so this seemed to confirm that I should pursue a career as a pharmacist... I enrolled in pharmacy school and almost simultaneously started a job in that field. I was bored nearly from the first day. I was searching for a new direction when my Dad suggested computers because the field was to be an important area in the future. So, I ended up studying Computer Information Systems and took a job at Southwestern Bell after graduation. My fellow employees there ended up dubbing me the “nosy coder” because I always wanted to know the business reason why we were changing systems and how they planned to use them. My social skills naturally led me away from being a “coder” and toward project management.
Who is your mentor, and what did you learn from that person?
I’ve had lots of mentors. My Dad is big on asking questions, and I learned the value of that from him. For example, when I was considering pursuing a career in CIS, he suggested that I talk to the CIO at Hallmark and find out what the job really entailed. I’m in the Helzberg Mentoring Program. Mike Luby, President Piper Jaffray, is my main mentor; he has helped me a lot in the area of financial management. I have been fortunate to learn from successful business people like Danny O’Neil of the Roasterie and Barnett Helzberg.
What would you say are the three reasons for your success?
The first would be people. Our company could not achieve success without the great associates we have. The support of my family is also a key factor. My mother, father, brother, and now my husband all work at Adams-Gabbert. Along with a lot of prayer and luck and the help of many mentors we’ve been very successful. I many times wonder if we would be as successful if we began in a different city. Kansas City is so supportive of the entrepreneurial community and is so giving in efforts to mentor businesses like ours.
What is your best professional achievement?
We have been fortunate to have received many awards, but being recognized as one of the Top 10 Small Businesses in Kansas City by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce has been the best honor so far.
What was the lowest point in your professional life?
The lowest point came last year when the economy was dragging. I thought we might need to have lay-offs. I asked all associates to dig deep and work extra hard on business development efforts. It’s that kind of dedication I have on my staff. That extra push paid off and things picked up before any lay-offs were necessary. Now, a year later, it’s difficult to find enough qualified consultants to handle the projects that we have. I’m really picky about our staff.
What do you do to relax?
I love to read fiction---anything from romance to suspense.
Are you an early bird or a night owl?
Neither. But, I’m definitely not a morning person. I need at least eight or nine hours of sleep every night.
What is the last book you read?
Lirell Holt’s son, Bryce, is a writer. He is getting ready to publish his first series. I was asked to read his first book, a suspense thriller, and its sequel. The books are really phenomenal. He’s definitely an author to keep your eye on.
What is your favorite movie?
The Christmas Story. I watch it at least twice every year. I never get tired of laughing at all the things the characters go through. I grew up in the era portrayed by the movie and I can really relate to it. I also can feel comfortable watching it with my family. My other favorite is The Shawshank Redemption.
Are you more likely to dine out, order in or cook?
With two really active kids, we eat out a lot because we just don’t seem to have a lot of extra time for cooking at home.
What is your favorite vacation destination?
My favorite place is any place with a beach.
If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?
I wish we could do away with hunger. So many go to bed hungry and that’s a terrible fact. I feel that the billions we spend on the war in Iraq could be used to feed our homeless and help the elderly.
What is your personal philosophy?
A wasted day is a day you don’t learn something new.
What do you believe is the most critical issue facing our region?
Economic development of small business. There are few large employers in Kansas City. The more those large businesses outsource jobs overseas, the fewer jobs we have here. Nationwide, small business accounts for 90-95% of our country’s economy. Yet, legislation is geared to supporting very large companies because those organizations can afford to hire expensive lobbyists. We need to pay attention to the needs of small business so that they can continue to contribute to the country’s economy by employing millions of people. Kansas City is a great place to start a business, but what are we doing to help small businesses that could develop into the next big business grow and prosper so they can continue to employ hundreds or thousands in the KC market? I feel this is where the Kansas City economy will continue to grow and prosper so we ought to pay attention and help them grow.
What advice do you have for those women just starting their careers?
Don’t be afraid to push yourself and to fail a few times in order to figure out what you want. Be patient and make a plan to learn each day. Throw out the bad. Keep the good.
What tips do you have for other women to bring balance to their lives?
I think it starts with making a commitment to have balance in your life. Women who have this commitment, have balance. You just need to make balance a priority in your life and then keep your priorities in order. If you’re still seeking balance, ask yourself if it’s really a priority for you.
Article Source: http://www.flourishmagazine.com
Jo Anne Gabbert