Meet Lou Ernst, Senior Sales Development Representative

Today we turn the spotlight on Lou Ernst. Lou quickly became a tremendous asset to the team at The 20.

 

What do you do here at The 20?

I am a Senior SDR here at The 20. My job is to discover, create, qualify and reach out to potential clients for our MSPs in the Marketing Program. My goal is to educate companies of all the benefits to having a managed IT department and putting them in touch with the right MSPs.

Describe The 20 in three words…

Fun, Innovative and the Best!

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? 

I wanted to be an astronaut!

What’s the most challenging thing about your job? 

The most challenging aspect of my job is probably handling potential clients in every single industry.

What do you consider your greatest achievement? 

My greatest achievement thus far is playing college football at Tarleton State University.

What do you think is the most important quality necessary for success? 

I’d say the most important qualities necessary for success is having integrity, patience and optimism.

What do you like most about The 20? 

I love my co-workers and just the environment in general. Every day is different, and there’s just no substitute for that.

What do you like to do in your spare time? / What are your hobbies? 

I love to camp and play golf!

Where are you going on your next vacation?

I’ll be heading to Costa Rica.

What’s your top life hack?

I’d say my top life hack is to simply have more fun, and stress less. Slow down and be thankful!


Interested in working with Lou at The 20? We’re hiring! Check out our Careers page for more info.

Meet Camden Parks, Talent Acquisition Manager

Today we turn the spotlight on Camden Parks. Camden quickly became a tremendous asset to the team at The 20.

 

What do you do here at The 20?

I am the Talent Acquisition Manager for all departments within the company. I basically find, qualify, and help the hiring managers hire all of our employees. I also focus on our retention and employee engagement efforts to keep our company culture at its best.

Describe The 20 in three words…

Innovative, progressive, and collaborative.

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? 

A veterinarian. It wasn’t long before I realized that I wouldn’t be able to emotionally handle that type of work, so I chose to do something that would make me happy instead!

What’s the most challenging thing about your job? 

The most challenging aspect about my job is having to reject candidates that I build relationships with. First and foremost, I’m an advocate for my company, but I always become an advocate for my candidates along the way. Sometimes, it’s just not a great fit for one reason or another, and I have to remember that the goal is to always set up employees for success. Networking is huge for me, so even if I don’t have a good fit for a candidate now, I am known to call them later when I find something that would be a mutually beneficial fit.

What do you consider your greatest achievement? 

My greatest achievement at The 20 has been building the Talent Acquisition department from the ground up and watching the explosive growth we have experienced so far. We hired in 73 people last year alone, which is more than we had as a company when I started! To walk out onto the floor and see all the wonderful employees we have really warms my heart — I love when the connection between company and employee is a great fit.

What do you think is the most important quality necessary for success? 

Grit is the ability to persist in something you feel passionate about and persevere when you face obstacles. Someone once told me that motivation and determination alone will only take you so far, because they don’t last forever. Passion is what keeps you going when you feel like giving up. Grit combines passion, motivation, and determination for reaching long-term and meaningful goals.

What do you like most about The 20? 

The best part about working for The 20 is feeling like I have the ability to make such an impact for the company. I know that my work is meaningful and purposeful and I know that I’m valued for what I contribute. My manager, hiring managers, and coworkers help foster a collaborative, fun, and open-door culture which makes my work environment so enjoyable. We spend more waking hours at work than we do at home, so it’s nice to be able to say that at our home away from home, we really are The 20 Family.

What do you like to do in your spare time? / What are your hobbies? 

One of my biggest passions in life is dog rescue. I work with a few different rescues in the DFW area, where I rescue, foster, and help transport dogs to different areas of the US. I have had 100+ dogs come through my home in the last couple of years — some with crazy medical issues, some seniors that have a hard time getting adopted, and some with behavioral issues. The best part is seeing each one get adopted into their forever home and getting updates from their families as time goes on.

Where are you going on your next vacation?

OBX, North Carolina to get my best friend married! After my bridesmaid duties end, I will be glued to the sand.

What’s your top life hack? 

Mix Downy Unstopables laundry beads (1/4 cup) with hot water (2 cups) and baking soda (2 tablespoons) in a spray bottle for a cheap and easy air refresher that’s safe for fabric! My couches and dogs’ beds always smell great. Having lots of dogs in and out of my house required me to get creative!


Interested in working with Camden at The 20? We’re hiring! Check out our Careers page for more info.

Camden Rendon

by Camden Rendon

 

We have come to a day and age in which we are all trying to navigate a candidate-driven job market. This can be both a good and a bad thing. On one hand, you’ve got candidates being pickier about their next move, which means that retention rates are getting higher, and it seems to be a better fit for both sides. On the other hand, you’ve lost a lot of negotiating power, especially if you’re working with a strong, well-rounded candidate that is wanted by multiple different companies. Dallas has the fifth-largest tech labor force in the US, behind Silicon Valley, D.C., and New York City. According to the same website, CBRE estimates that more than 160,000 DFW residents work in the technology field. With so much competition, it can be hard to hire and keep great talent. However, the best way to do that is to build a company culture worth believing in.

There are three steps to building and maintaining your company culture:

  • Lay it out
  • Implement
  • Study and revise

Lay It Out

In order to build a company culture, you’ve got to lay out what you want it to look like. Are you trying to build a “work hard, play hard” environment? Do you want to keep it buttoned-up and professional? Maybe you want to make your office dog-friendly or cater lunch once a week for your employees. Whatever it is, you have to start somewhere. Write down your company’s values, mission, and goals. From there, you can find and attract candidates that have similar views. Come up with traditions that you can make specific to your company, that employees look forward to participating in.

Implement

Once you’ve got an idea of what you want to accomplish, put it into place. Introduce things slowly, and make sure your current staff is on board. From there, bring in your newbies and help shift the culture to what you want it to be.

Study and Revise

It is imperative to continue to study the culture and revise as needed. If you see that something isn’t working, change it! I will say that consistency is key, so when you find something that works, stick with it. Building traditions, allowing employees to make friends with one another, and employee engagement are crucial to making it successful.

Building a company culture is extremely imperative to growing and maintaining a workforce. Now more than ever, candidates are looking for things that set companies apart – what will make your company a home rather than a stepping stone? Creating a culture and then hiring to fit within that culture makes retention much easier, as everyone has the same buy-in, beliefs, and values, and the expectations are set up front. Employees spend more time at work than they do with their own families, and they aren’t afraid to ditch jobs that don’t appreciate that. Appreciation goes a long way – as does a strong company culture.

Want to join our awesome team? The 20 is hiring! Check out our open positions here.