Episode 140: Joan Landorf with Axis Promotions, Growing Through Adversity Series

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I think I learned that before it was just sort of focus on your business, and from after 9/11 it's become focus on your people and really understand and try and support them, and that will in turn help your clients and your suppliers and keep everyone moving forward.

Robert Graves wrote, "There's one story and one story only." And in Joseph Campbell's famous work that explored stories through the ages, he discovered this too, that there was one archetypal story of a scared and reluctant hero entering an unknown time in a frightening world, facing the biggest challenge of her life, but through it emerging on the other side changed but victorious. As we too face unprecedented challenges, we want to bring together the voices of those reluctant heroes we know that have overcome adversity in their business and in their personal lives, drawing out the essential lessons that shaped their journey. You'll hear some familiar words like unthinkable and detect familiar emotions like a world shifting beneath you. These are the stories of those who found their footing and discovered a way through adversity, arriving at new solutions and new ways of being to thrive on the other side. Our first story is from Joan Landorf, Executive Vice President and partner at Axis Promotions in New York City. Many of you know that Axis is one of the most successful distributors in the business, a top 40 distributor 5 years in a row, recipient of numerous awards including over 20 Pyramid Awards. Joan is from Pittsburgh, earned her MBA in marketing from NYU Stern School of Business, and honed her marketing skills at Clairol before starting her distributorship, Corporate Visions. Joan and Axis were friendly competitors for 10 years before they merged, and now Joan with 16 years at Axis, is in a vital role providing sales mentorship for rising stars in their operation. And Joan is one of my most admired heroes in the business. Many of us consider her a mentor. This series is brought to you by Commenscue, the work-from-anywhere platform that powers your connected workflow, enabling you to process more orders and dramatically grow your sales. To learn more or to begin your free trial now, visit commenscue.com. Now, here's Joan's story. Joan, you were in New York City, and many of us were impacted by 9/11, but probably not many of us like you. That had to be one of the most challenging moments in business for you.

Bobby, without a doubt, when you asked me to speak on this podcast and you asked me to come up with what was challenging or what was one of the most challenging or harrowing experiences, instantly 9/11 came to mind. I feel that it was such a time where none of us could have even anticipated what was happening. It was, you know, the idea that there could be a terrorist attack on our country in New York City. It just was unfathomable. So for me, I feel like there was life before 9/11 and then life after 9/11.

Where was the business at in terms of progress and sales? I'm trying to get an idea of what life was like right before 9/11 for you and the company.

Well, we had been in business about 7 or 8 years, and I ran a smaller business before I joined Access called Corporate Visions. And I had a small group of people, but we were really hardworking and excited. And in those days, we had so much business. The question was, how are we going to handle it? So there was this very fast-paced environment and, and struggling to keep up with everything that we had. And so when this attack happened, it sort of just halted everyone in their footsteps. And maybe it would be helpful if I went back to what it was like that morning. 'Cause I think so much of that is what has stayed with me. So when I, it was a normal day, I had children that were in middle school and high school. So I got them off to school and I was getting dressed to go into New York City for a meeting. And my meeting was in Midtown. And as I was getting ready to leave, my nanny had called down to me and said, Joan, turn on the TV. And so when I turned on the TV, the first tower had just been hit. And it was— I still honestly am embarrassed to even tell you this, but my first reaction was, oh, that's downtown, but my meeting's in Midtown, so I'll be okay. I mean, that was really what went through because it was just so— I couldn't even process it. And then as I was watching the TV, I saw the second plane hit the second tower, and then it was just You know, all of a sudden this sheer terror comes through, you know, shock. And my first reaction was my husband, who had left earlier to go into the city, and I didn't know if he was there or if he was on the train. And naturally, when I started to call, none of the phones were working, so you couldn't get through. And then my next reaction was I knew that everyone was already in my office because I'd been planning to go to the city instead of into work, and it was around 9, I guess, at that at that time, or 9:30. So I immediately went into my office, which was like 5 or 10 minutes from where I live. And when I got there, one of my young employees was completely traumatized because her father worked in the— for Port Authority, which was based in the World Trade Center, and his responsibility was keeping everything in order in the World Trade Center. And of course, she couldn't reach him. So it really was a test of staying calm, worrying about my own husband, my own family, and our friends, but having to be calm for this young woman who was really terrified and, you know, sort of couldn't— didn't know if her father was alive or dead. And it turned out that fortunately in 2 hours she finally heard from him and he said he was okay. But, you know, this— he couldn't really communicate. And so it was holding everybody together and making sure that we were all sort of supporting each other and listening. And then it was the fallout of after the Twin Towers, then Washington, D.C., and then the plane going down in Pennsylvania. I mean, so it was really just this ripple effect. And then I work and live in a small town, and it was starting to hear news of people in our town that were impacted. There was a father of a good friend of ours, and he was visiting his daughter in Washington, D.C., and was boarding that plane to go to L.A. And that's the plane that went into the Pentagon. So, again, those were such crises that, you know, people that we knew, so it was hitting home and we couldn't imagine. But what it did is it caused us to sort of just regroup. And at that point, I remember for the company, my first concern was for the people that were there and how I could help them. And that was sort of the focus that kept us calm.

What was it like trying to hold that together? You're trying to run a business and, you know, be a leader and encourage others and juggle clients? Was it— that was so devastating, was everything just halted?

For the first week, it was completely— you know, people were shell-shocked. And, you know, because we were impacted by, you know, all of the people and all the companies in New York City, we really— there's all we could do was see how we could help people. But we also ran a business that involved companies outside of New York. And while they felt the— they felt the fear, the devastation of what had happened, it really wasn't impacting their daily lives. So we had to run our business. So it was a fine line between— you can't really talk about new business, but what you have to do is still stay in touch with people and still stay calm. And I think that what this incident, that incident, and certainly incidents since then have taught me that When things get the most chaotic, that's when it's the most important to stay calm and level-headed and really listen to people. Talk to them, ask questions about how they're feeling, and try and adapt. And the same goes for our clients, you know, checking in to make sure that we're there to give them what they need and want and that we're keeping sort of this strong united front to help in any way that we can.

Yeah. How did this change the business?

It's an interesting thing because we were still in a growth mode. I think that we were always about, you know, work, work, work, and how can we do more and how can we get more clients? And we still kept that approach of wanting to succeed. But I think it sort of made the business a little bit of a nicer, kinder business, if that makes sense. Yeah. I mean, I think that if you say before and after, It was, it was really a wake-up call about how fleeting life was. I mean, this wasn't just reading about someone else. This was knowing people whose lives were going to be forever changed. And so the business, fortunately, because we were still in this growth mode, continued to grow. And as I said, we were lucky because we had so many clients outside of New York City and they were corporate clients that needed to continue working. So, that part was good, but I feel in terms of how I adapted to my employees, I think that it was also a time that I took leadership a lot more serious. I think I started studying it more and figuring out how I can have a bigger impact as a leader as opposed to someone who was just growing a business.

Before we hit record, we were talking about the distinction between 9/11 and what's happening now with coronavirus, and one of the things we talked about was sort of the instantaneous cataclysmic event and fallout versus this very slow evolving situation that we have now. You know, with the benefit of hindsight, how do you think that 9/11 changed the way you look at business and life?

So you are, I mean, not only were you and I talking, but last night when I was sitting at dinner with my husband, we were also talking about the difference between 9/11 and what's happening now. And I do think it was the absolute, you know, just shock and immediacy of what happened for 9/11 versus where we are now, that is sort of this uncertain sense of what's coming next. So I think that in terms of what changed me is that I'm very aware of things can go wrong. I feel like I'm a very positive person who also is realistic. And so the biggest change, and I think that we're living that right now with the coronavirus, is that people come first, our employees come first. We have to make sure that people feel safe. We have to make sure that they are home, yes, working from home and still adhering to the growth plans that we have, but feeling that they are protected and are listened to. And I think it's so important just for me as a leader to be reaching out on a regular basis, not, not like once once a week or once a day. It's, you know, in terms of my immediate team, it's touching base multiple times a day, not being annoying, but making sure that they feel heard and then asking questions about how can we help and then reassuring them. And one of the nice things, you know, as you know, Access, I merged my business with Access and then Access was sold to Halo very recently. And I have been so impressed with the amount of communication that's been coming from corporate and coming with, you know, heartfelt, caring ideas and assuring people about their positions and assuring them about getting help. And I think that that's really what we have to do. So for me, I think I learned that before it was just sort of focus on your business. And from after 9/11, it's become focus on your people and really understand and try and support them. And that will in turn help your clients and your suppliers and keep everyone moving forward.

Speaking of Axis and right now, what are some of the things that— by the way, thank you for taking the time. This is not the time that you could carve out an hour, given all of that is going on as a leader in your organization. Thank you for doing that on behalf of the audience, for taking the time to do that with us today. What, what are you doing? What are some of the immediate changes you've done at Axis to respond right now to the coronavirus?

First of all, thank you for asking me to be part of this, because it really allowed me to sort of step back and think about what was important. And so, you know, I'm— hopefully I'm doing that anyway, but I appreciate you giving me this opportunity. So for Axis, you know, Larry, my partner, is very calm and very thoughtful, and we have been preparing for this really for the last month. And I think knowing what was happening in China and being impacted by it because so much of our business involves the supply chain in China We did feel it was a matter of time. So before this became a national emergency, we had already worked with our IT people to make sure that everybody was set up from home, that, you know, we were testing systems. You know, I was teasing you earlier, there's so many more virus controls and things on my computer now that it's probably slowed it down. So we have had everyone set up and they can do that. Also, we early on gave people the choice of working from home or coming in, that it was really up to them. And so I feel that as Access and then also as Halo, there has just been this overwhelming support and clarity about how to keep doing business from home. And so we're continuing to support people.

With the potential looming recession, what kind of conversations are you and the team having about business as you move forward? Is it too early to ask that question and we're just still dealing with really the impact of the virus, or are you already having those conversations in your business now?

I absolutely don't think it's too early to be having those conversations. I mean, unlike when there's a sort of catastrophic event like 9/11 where there is a fallout, this is more of a slow build that we don't know where it's going, but I think we all believe it's going to get worse before it gets better, and the impact on small business owners, large business owners, people, you know, we can't even imagine what it's going to be like. So I think we all have to be responsible, which is, you know, Access had a, you know, very strong January and February. Halo had an amazing January, February, and March was starting strong. But obviously we're going to feel the impact. We do a lot of events. We do a lot of retail programs. We do a lot of just programs that involve major corporations or restaurants or locations, and that has to slow down. I mean, people can't continue doing it. Even sales meetings, you know, so many of our clients run these big sales meetings and now everything is canceled. And certainly as a company, what we're looking at is what are the ways that we can support our clients and their initiatives in a different kind of capacity. So we may not be sending events to a sales meeting, but we certainly could be doing kits, stay-at-home kits, or kits that talk about the benefits or the initiatives that they're trying to do. But again, we're making these plans, we're trying to go a little bit deeper into our current client base and into our prospects. And at this stage, we're not talking about business so much as just reaching out and making sure people are okay. And I think that that's the most important thing we can do for our clients, just to know that we're here and that we are here for them. And then we'll, you know, there'll be phases as this rolls out and we know where it's going. But, you know, I think we're also looking at what are the ways that we can cut expenses? How can we minimize, you know, things that we might have done before? Because we do have to be practical. It sort of reminds me of, you know, the recession in 2017 and 2007, 2008. How again, we saw it coming, we were anticipating it, we cut back, and then we used it as almost like a new business model just to touch base and let people know about us even though we didn't expect business. And I'm hoping that we can do something similar with this.

Yeah, it sounds like your advice then there is, you know, dig deep with your current clients, be human, reach out, find out what their needs are. Right now if you can, and really just stay close.

I couldn't have said it better. That's exactly, you know, just put yourself in their shoes, I mean, and try and be helpful in whatever way that can help them.

You know, you've got— we've talked about two very devastating seasons that you've gone through, one of course, and different, but one 9/11 and one was the 2007-2008 recession. And I remember that time period too. What do you— how do you think those events shaped your decisions moving forward?

I think the biggest difference, and we might have covered this, is to be very positive and forward-thinking and plan for opportunities and the future and growth. I am all about that, you know, sort of striving for what's next. And it's not a but, it's an and. Be practical and realistic that there will be bumps along the road. I think that the— it's just, it's sort of, you can't live in a bubble and think everything is going to be fine, and you also don't want to be on this gloom and doom trajectory. So it's really that balance of we're in this together and just continue to really listen to people, whether it's your employees or your clients, and that will help us figure out where to go and what decisions to make.

Yeah, thank you for that, Joan. That's so helpful. I mean, when negative and despairing news surrounds us all the time, you know, retaining that positivity and grace and kindness and a lot of what you're saying is really just being very empathetic to the people around you. And in turn, that makes you more empathetic to the situation at hand.

I couldn't agree more. In fact, when I was sort of jotting down notes for this, empathy was the word that came out so loud and clear because while I might be feeling a certain way, I can't be sure about how other people are feeling unless I take the time to ask, unless I take the time to sort of listen and figure out then how I can help depending on each person's situation. And while it's easier for me to do in a small business or small team environment, it's still important for us on a larger level to be anticipating what the questions are and asking, and then seeing how we can chart the course.

And it's a callous assumption to think that everyone's going through the same thing in the same way when we are such complex humans. Not only individually are we going through this differently, but people have different family situations and they have, you know, different income situations. And so everyone's experience is uniquely theirs. And I think that's why your advice is so sound. Is just being very empathetic and listening to what people are going through. Does weathering these challenges get easier?

You know, I don't know that I would necessarily say easier. I thought about that. But what I would say is that the fact that— and maybe, you know, it's years of experience or being in different situations or going through difficult times— I think that it never gets easier to deal with problems and sadness. However, I do think that there's an ability to be more understanding and to stay calm. So I would think that over the years, that's probably what I've seen. And I don't know if you attribute that to leadership or caring about people or having a broader perspective where you can look back and see things. It's not easier, but it is more acceptable or manageable.

What do you wish people would know about being in the middle of a storm?

So I think that the most important thing when you're in the middle of something is to stay calm and to realize that you will get through this, that there will be an end to this. It might look different than you think it's looking now, but there will be good that will come out and you'll be able to move on. There was a particular time in my life, and I was going through a very difficult time. There were personal issues, there were family issues, there were work issues, and it was like wherever I was turning, you know, I was really feeling, you know, lost. And I had a lot of close friends, and they would always try and give me advice. And when I would hear the advice, I would almost want to shut down because I felt like it was just people firing suggestions at me, and it really wasn't helpful. And I had this one friend, she was actually one of my first bosses at Clairol many years ago, and we've stayed friendly and close. And she called me up and she said, Joni, she said, I— the only thing I can say to you is that someday you will look back at this period and you will feel good about knowing that you got through it. You'll be able to say that. And so I've held on to that and I've shared that with so many people that someday, you know, we will be able to look back at this. And say that we got through it. And that in and of itself is an accomplishment. And I think that's what we're all trying to do. Just solve the problem at hand, stay safe, make good decisions, and keep being positive about what's next and what momentum we can build for the future. Because there will be a future.

I can't add anything to that. Joan, thank you so much again for taking the time to visit today.

Thanks for asking me to do this, and good luck to you, Bobby, with the other interviews you're doing. And to all of us, we just have to pull together, and I think together we'll be able to get through the situation.

Thank you, Joan.

Take care.

Thanks so much for tuning in to this episode of SKU Cast. Be sure to keep up with our latest content by subscribing to SKU Cast on iTunes or to our blog at community.commsku.com. Com. Until next time, friends, thanks so much for listening.