Transcript:

Processes are very important. Processes help you stay on track. Although projects are unique and we may need to add something or do a task a little differently for the project, it's still very important to have a process that you can follow and just deviate when necessary. Neck and neck with process for me is communication. We have to effectively communicate not only with each other within the team, but also with the projects and the investments that come into AnchoRRa. When things change for them, we need to know, and when we're asking or changing a process, it's important that we let them know so they can understand how to move forward. Something as simple as how to request a reimbursement—at first, it was written in an email, but then we developed a form and sent that out to all of the projects. Then it dawned on us—well, wait a minute, how do you ask for an advance? So we updated and simplified the process again for the clients we have. When considering how to explain sustained excellence to a team member, another key idea is to stay in your lane, because too many hands in the pot, or too many people doing the same things, can become confusing. We had to separate our responsibilities, and sometimes if we're unsure, we'll talk to each other: “Are you going to do this piece? Okay, I'll do that piece and then you do this.” Because it confuses a client to get different directions or understandings from our team, we first come together, decide how we're going to move forward, and then decide who will communicate. Trust is also a big thing, and it goes hand in hand with communication and knowing your responsibilities. When we see consistency in a person, it allows us to say, okay, we trust this person to do their job and be responsible. That trust is what Carla and I have in each other because we know our lanes and our responsibilities. We help each other when needed—for example, if Carla sees that a project may need more than fiscal sponsorship and could benefit from charitable investing or might have a lot of financial questions, she’ll tag me to join the call so we don’t need to schedule another one unnecessarily. We flow well together and trust each other to know when to ask for support and when it’s not needed.