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Speech Transcript

0:00  

Hey, this is Gina trimarco with the 10 results. And if you really want to learn how to level up your life, you should be listening to the time to shine today podcast with my friend Scott Ferguson.

0:10  

Time to shine today podcast RC sweater to Scott Ferguson. This is Episode 98. Thanks so much for joining us and you are in for a fantastic Uber. Treat today with my good friend Gina trimarco from pivot 10 results. She is a fellow Midwesterner from shy town, Chicago, Illinois. She’s my Python friend and we also are a business colleagues and it was such a joy to really talk to her and really dig deep into how she helps companies with their productivity and employee engagement. She’s so fun. She does a lot of it. Almost all of it through improv with her company pivot 10 results. Just a really quick caveat. There is a little bit Bit of will just say, words your mom wouldn’t want you to hear our sand on a bike as but we’re good friends so you’re just kind of enjoying some banter. So there’s only a couple times so please see through that and I apologize in advance. But again, break out your notebook sit back, relax, because without further ado, here’s my really good friend Gina trimarco from pivot 10 results.

1:34  

Hey, time to sign today varsity squad at Scott Ferguson and I am joined by my Midwesterner my girl Gina trimarco. Hi. Hi. She’s fantastic. She is a Chicago native. And one of the ways he’s a serial entrepreneur with 25 years experience in marketing, sales operations, and people training she was recruited recruited to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina in 2007 to take over an island IMAX theater after successfully turning around the one at Navy Pier in Chicago. When the economy crashed in 2008, she lost her job she opted to do something seemingly impossible to many by launching a business with an unproven concept of finding a new job. That business Carolina improv company has been number one on TripAdvisor for nightlife attractions in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina since 2010, peeps at 10 years, that’s a decade that’s phenomenal. Soon after that she found a pivot 10 results. That’s what we’re going to really dig into today with Gina. It’s a training and consulting firm that helps businesses and executives shift from people problems to performance results, so the application of soft skills training through the application of soft skills training, and strategic planning. She graduated from DePaul University and studied at Second City while pursuing her degree in communications. In addition to being a member of the Vistage international speaker, Speakers Bureau, trimarco produces and hosts Two podcasts the pivotal leader and women your mother warn you about which is actually you have to definitely skip one of those up. She has also been a contributor to forbes.com and training magazine calm and that is some serious credential Peeves and Gina please come on and introduce yourself to the time to shine today squad but first, what’s your favorite color? And why?

3:24  

My favorite color is black because it goes with everything black. I know. It goes back and forth between black and red red if I want to be, you know, showing up and getting attention. Black if I want to make my life easy.

3:40  

Have it easy. Life is good. And it’s like she’s like the Johnny Cash, the pivot 10 results. What’s your favorite emoji that you use on your phone when you’re texting?

3:49  

My favorite emoji is the Winky kiss face to face. I love it. I love it. Alright, so let’s get into some gravy and potatoes. Here. You Tell us about the origins a little bit I kind of gave a nice, I O squad out there as listening usually ask for like a 50 word bio, but she sent me a book. So you don’t have to read it. And you gotta it’s gonna hear some banter because Gina and I are actually friends. So it’s a lot of fun to have somebody that I kind of know on the show to kind of come in but Gina gives us the origins of kind of like where you’re starting and when you had that aha moment to start rocket pivot 10 results. Sure, and I’m sorry about the long bio on the details is not my thing. I’m a visionary and I suck at detail so obviously don’t know how to read. So there’s that I like to be transparent. Pivot 10 results is born out of Carolina improv company and Carolina improv company was born out of Oh shit, there was a recession in 2008 and I lost my job. That’s sort of how all that happened. You’ve heard it in my bio that I was recruited to Myrtle Beach to open IMAX theater so my backgrounds been in entertaining Marketing and operations, specifically in life theater and then the IMAX world. So I’ve got like this really interesting background. I like to think of myself as left brain right brain so I can creatively look at things so I can also operationally look at things so I got recruited to Myrtle Beach completely different worlds than Chicago born and raised cowgirl city Northside go cubs. And you go down, you go south carolina as an Italian or I should say I chalian because I put out a collared shirt. And you don’t really fit in it was really a culture shock for me. So during that process, I’m like, I need a refresher improv class. That’ll like, they’ll tweak me because it really is like cheap therapy adult play time. I nobody knew what it was, which made me even more depressed, like I was missing out on Italian beef sandwiches, blues clubs, and then there was no improv. Don’t think Have the Italian beef sandwiches in Chicago? Are they like dow Soman? Like Yes, yes, yes, exactly. And, you know, most of the listeners out there that know me know I’m from Detroit, so I hate anything Chicago except for the city.

6:13  

Sports and trimarco here. But nowadays, food is phenomenal, phenomenal. Diversity beef sandwich. Anybody wants to send me one. You guys have Portillo’s

6:22  

down in Florida don’t Yeah, yeah, we had a purchase with a client of mine for a while back in the day when I was producing television commercials. But that’s a whole nother story with the pivot 10 we’re gonna start with that pivot 10. So theater got started first, more as a as a hobby because I wanted an outlet, a creative outlet. And in order to do it, I actually had to create the community for it and create the playground for it. So I had to actually create the business for me to have a hobby and it took off and then within A year, built a theater because I was asked to build a theater in a mall, which is insane. And that happened and in a year’s time, and then corporate training took off, which was always the goal, because I had hired a company like ours at one point to come in and do customer service training with my staff so knew the value of applying in problem business for soft skills. That was always a plan. The theater came first. We got through that and we got the corporate stuff going. And then we hit a wall, especially in the south with trying to educate people on what improv for businesses because they were just automatically seeing you as comedy and that we’re trying to be funny, and, you know, they weren’t taking it seriously. People want to results and they were starting to look at me as more of a comedian than is actually a pretty astute, smart businesswoman. So I had to do a pivot for and was using that word now. Well, here’s the here’s the funny thing like Give it 10 results. We rebranded our training division to pivot 10 back in 2016 Ah, that was still when it was called shift. Shifting. Yeah, that’s the backwards shift was and the word pivot was starting to become really popular. After we created the new brand that was during the year we’re there first. We were there for dive it I love it. Yeah. So that’s how pivotal pivotal is basically Carolina improv rebranded to

8:30  

not freak people out. Yeah. So they don’t see the the word improv which you get a lot of that like, I love the improv world. I know a lot. No, we’re near your level. But it’s helped me make other people look better. You know, to the improv coach that I’ve used here in South Florida said you know, the biggest thing is to make your scene partner look better. It’s almost a race to the bottom to make them look better, which is helped me out with my clients, which I know that that’s what you guys do is strategic in your strategic consulting. World at pivot tencel. Tell me So what makes a great strategic consultant?

9:06  

Honestly, you have to be a great listener like that. That’s the first go to if you pay attention to your clients and your prospects and you spend time listening, you’re going to hear what the problems are. And you can still be a subject matter expert, because that’s really why they’re hiring you. But you don’t want to rub it in their face. And going back to making your senior partner look good. It’s all about how can I elevate this client and make them a rockstar. And that starts with really listening to them and not reacting and not responding right away, and letting them get it off their chest and then coming back to them with a with a plan based on what they said. And it’s interesting because sometimes, I’ll have a strategic meeting with a prospect. I’ll come back with a proposal and they’ll say, Oh my gosh, you totally get me. You totally understand her problems. I’m Mike. Now I just took notes during our conversation. He probably looked at you like but no, no, I’m just regurgitating word for word what you said to me and not and not right. You know, think about that any human interaction people love to be heard because they feel like you care and when you actually repeat things back to them in their words, paraphrase it right. I mean, it’s golden.

10:25  

I love it. I love so I’m glad that you said that good listener. And thank you don’t be an improv one thing that I’m sure you might agree with. Maybe not but you’re not just listening. With your ears. You’re listening with your eyes, all the senses, correct. That’s a lot of what you teach in the improv world. Crash cash you have my heart.

10:45  

Right? Okay, good. Yes, you get it like so. So that’s what I preach all the time. It’s when I talk about listening. I’m like, you have to listen with your ears and your eyes, right? posture. You know looking the other way from the other person. Yeah, it’s the observation and you know right now the the world that we’re living in the climate that we’re in right now and while you’re not necessarily with people, right, even in a zoom call, right, we can pay attention to what’s going on on someone’s face. Like I just recorded a podcast with my partner, Rachel. For women, your motion warns you about she’s having a really bad day. And, and the episode was on meditation. And we had a meditation person on it. And she literally had we want to talk resting bitchface I’m like, Oh, no, you are just not having it today, are you?

11:40  

So what, okay, if I met out at a networking event or somewhere and I’m pressing flesh, which you don’t really get to do that right now, most party Nazis, but eventually, we’ll get out there. And if I’m talking to someone and someone comes up to me in what is the key words, I’m looking for might be a good prospect contact connection or someone to refer to to the time for you to say to someone say, say to ask a question. If I’m talking to somebody and they’re starting to talk about their business, and maybe there’s been some fields or something like that challenges they’re going through what what am I listening for to know that there are good contact or referral for pivot time?

12:23  

It productivity is down. I can’t I can’t get my employees engaged. Right now. We’re struggling with managing our workforce from home because we’re not used to it. Our managers don’t know how to manage in this new climate. We don’t know what it what it’s going to look like when we get back to normal. We don’t know what are normal and to be sure. And a lot of what I’ve been hearing lately is like, how do we re onboard our employees and then the other, the other end of it, it all comes down to engagement. Bottom line, but Engaging customers to when is an appropriate time to talk to customers and well, they’re going to push back and say they don’t have money and and so any of those obstacles, any of those obstacles that are people problems, I don’t know how to sell, and I don’t know how to engage my employees

13:17  

love it. And so then

13:22  

Okay, so you’re bringing somebody in and they are going to their prospect now not quite a client? Or maybe they’re a client and you’re bringing them in what is there any secret sauce that you guys use there to the 10 that helps them find their blind spots. Because again, the problem they have the productivity issues, the employee engagement issues, but what is the secret sauce to get them to really come out? to help them find that blind spot? help them solve it?

13:49  

Yeah, again, it comes back down to the listen and listening to what they said like this morning I had a meeting with actually a client that had to put us on hold for a while but But now wants to bring us back. And we’ve had a couple calls, but because everything keeps changing, the conversation was gonna have with them today completely changed immediately when we got on the phone, the narrative went another way, right? Yeah. Because I what I already have prepared and I’d already sent them a proposal, like four weeks ago. Right, right, four weeks ago during COVID is like a year ago. You know, it is, it just is. So by the time we got back on today, and we started looking at what their world is like, I had to come I had to come up with a new plan for them. I forget

14:41  

what was the original question, do you you’re actually living the name of your company because as you’re going through, especially cuz we’re kind of you’re adding to it with companies just as much as the companies know that they’ve got a pivot, right? Yes.

14:54  

Yeah. So So discovering what their, what their pain is. They’re literally like going Going through it. It’s happening day by day. And so we come, we come at it from a very collaborative standpoint. So I really listen and take notes. And then I go, okay, for instance, today, they were talking about wanting to engage employees to be part of the solutions. And what they’ve seen during this time is that they’re not thinking outside of the box, and they’re stuck in not being able to think outside of the box in a time that is so critical. So quickly, and people are still stuck. So and I say, I go on to say that I think it’s a leadership problem. Right. And so then it’s like, I’m honest, and open and transparent. And I’m like, I think this is a leadership issue, because I think people like to contribute solutions, but what are you guys doing? To make sure that they feel comfortable to do that? Right, and then I just back off, and I don’t say another word because the money’s made in the silence, right? So absolutely. I let them absorb. That and then she goes,

16:02  

Yeah.

16:05  

It is a leadership problem, right. So I let them it’s kind of like you’re gonna hate this. When it comes to men, it’s like, let them think it was their idea. Sure. Right And anyway, right brother. Right like same as clients. It’s like they have to come to a place of like it’s, it’s their ideas, their story. And so you’re taking them on a journey to discover it for themselves and then you validate it, but you set them up to get there, right? Then you let them own it.

16:36  

Love it. I love it. So let’s get in our DeLorean here with Marty McFly. Let’s go back and have a conversation with the 22 year old Gina trimarco. What kind of knowledge nuggets are you dropping on her? to maybe help her level up? Maybe shorten the learning curve, if you will? A little bit what do you think? Telling her not to say she would listen. But what do you what are you dropping on her? I’d say girl

17:05  

stay out of the clubs suffering of so much wine.

17:10  

I know you know tell my 22 year old self is girl trust your trust your gut, you’re onto something, you know what you’re doing. I mean, I was a I was a pretty young entrepreneur. I started my first business at age 22. So it’s ironic us that question, but I didn’t. I didn’t have enough confidence in myself to believe that I could really rock things

17:36  

like I

17:38  

like while I’m young and do I really know and I kind of killing it at that age, taking on really big six figure clients at a young age, not knowing what the hell I was doing. And I kind of abandoned it because I, I got burnt out and so because I didn’t know what I needed to know. So if I were to go back, I’d say Believe in yourself. Trust yourself, you’re you’re special and different. And go seek out help like go find the mentors.

18:07  

That was gonna say that you’re asking gear and ask the questions for people.

18:12  

I would have had some really good mentorship around me that since I started 22 no it’s priceless probably still be around and I have no regrets because they’re all absolutely and I was always fun to go back and ask that Yeah, but that’s that those are the two things I would do.

18:27  

Okay, so what are what do you think is like your are like have so many different facets and faces and I say that affectionally because you’re just you know, improv you know, you can you change on a dime when I but what’s the one thing that you think people misunderstand about Gina the most?

18:46  

Oh, goodness. Um,

18:50  

I think a lot of people misunderstand that they don’t realize that I’m like a big kid. Because they see me often and like serious like business minded make things happen, you know driven personality, big personality, the person that shows up at an event and people are like Gina’s here. And all that’s true, but I’m also like, a homebody quiet. I need downtime. Sure. I’m extremely I’m more on the traditional side as a woman, then people would believe I’m a little more conservative than people would believe. I think people I think people see me as a big party. Loud personality and there’s so much more to me that people don’t see.

19:43  

That’s That’s good. I’m thanks for sharing that. Is there. Like if you’re taking on any clients, or a prospect or prospect you’re kind of in the discovery process? Is there any question that you wish people would ask you but never do because the reason I say this is because pivot 10 is unique, where it’s using kind of improv and stuff in I know what I would ask of a pivot 10 but like, what is there any questions that people you wish they would ask during the discovery process but never do?

20:20  

That’s a really good question. I’ve never really thought about that.

20:25  

You’re on time to shine today.

20:27  

Yeah, no, um, I guess and I don’t think everybody is really uncomfortable with this question. I guess I would want them to ask you know where I’ve had success with what I’m doing. You know what?

20:41  

what I would want to I want to see the proof in the pudding. That’s what I want to see because I’m going to take on something that’s so unique Yeah, well you guys have is his oldest improv and acting is what you guys are doing to help companies pivot in during the specially this time, I would be asking like, I want to see what you did. Period inshallah. You know, Yeah, ask it like a man. You know, you’d have to make me feel right about it.

21:07  

We’re gonna move on.

21:10  

So you have

21:13  

we talked about the dash on time to shine today a lot, whether it’s in our chat rooms are in the people that I coach, but how do you want your dash remember that dash in between your life date and update? How do you want that dash remember maybe your epitaph something like that. How do you want Gina’s dash to be remembered?

21:33  

I want people to remember that I was the person that inspired push motivated, showed them that they could do whatever whatever they desired to do that I gave them the push and the confidence to get there. Love it.

21:51  

Yeah. And with you having fun doing it. You know what I’m saying? That’s That’s huge. Like, you might walk into a room all serious, but I think once you get start getting into people, people Like, start working with you, they can let their guard down a little bit and you you’re helping them inspiring them pushing them and motivating them in a fun way. After a while they’ll understand that it’s fun,

22:10  

right? Yeah, you know, it’s a quick story the person was talking to this morning a client I was talking to you this morning and we’re talking about the kind of we’ve pivoted a little bit of what we’re doing beyond the training and doing consultative packages right companies need right now she’s like, She’s like, I just feel so much better after after this phone call with you. I just feel like I need I needed dosage Gina every day. So while you can have that for this price,

22:36  

I love that. I love you. Yeah, exactly. There’s a price for stuff.

22:41  

Gina.

22:42  

So what would Gina’s definition of life? Well, that’d be

22:48  

a definition of life. Say that again. Definition what’s the definition of a life well lived to life while living my full of

22:58  

love happiness. comfort. Love it. Yeah. Simple.

23:05  

Simple. Awesome. So we’re gonna move into our leveling up lightning round right now. And so you and I could talk 1520 years and I can talk for an hour and everyone is coming, but you got five seconds. First thing comes to your head. Don’t explain why. Okay, first thing that comes to your head. You’re ready. Yep. Here we go. What’s the best leveling up advice you’ve ever received?

23:27  

The best leveling of advice. I’m

23:31  

gonna repeat every question. You know,

23:35  

folks, I could say this, because he’s my frets. Yeah, just just just do it. Love that thinking about it. Love it.

23:42  

share one of your personal habits to contributes to your success.

23:44  

Having a morning routine. So masturbation workout coffee,

23:50  

beautiful. Not the book you’re reading or the flavor of the month you see out there. Oh, what’s one book that if someone comes to you and they’re like kind of in the doldrums right now Be like read this. It’s changed me.

24:02  

A beaut beautiful constraint,

24:03  

beautiful constraint who’s out by?

24:06  

I can’t remember. Great.

24:09  

We’ll look it up though.

24:12  

If you can be one age for the rest of your life, what would it be?

24:15  

22

24:17  

What’s your fear favorite charity and or organization you’d like to support with time or money?

24:24  

Luckily, Family Justice Center,

24:27  

love it. And last question, since toughy what’s the best decade of music 6070s 80s or 90s 80s? There you go. Big hair don’t care. I love that dude. How can we find you guys?

24:42  

pivot 10 results.com a quick way you can also find everything Gina through Gina trimarco calm that brings you top of our company’s podcasts, you name it,

24:52  

right. Awesome. People all those links will be in the show notes including I’m going to dig up that book. Beautiful constraint And that’ll throw those in the show notes as well to leave us with one last Knowledge Nugget you want us to take with internalize work with it leave us last one

25:14  

be Don’t be so hard on yourself love it

25:19  

alright squad we just had a fantastic masterclass with my good friend was actually kind of fun to do it with with Gina just because she’s a she’s a character if you know her and it’s it’s awesome. But you know what i’m serious? Oh Gina believes in, you know, being a great listener. productivity and employee engagement is her thing. It’s her jam with getting people to pivot and level up their clients and if you’re out there right now, or if you’re out there right now, this will drop still probably during the opening phase of COVID and you’re looking for maybe a re onboarding process. You know, pivot 10 is fantastic to that. She says stuff that really stood out to me about money is made in silence. So basically shut the hell up and kind of hear and listen not just with your eyes, I’m sorry with your ears, but your eyes also, she would have told her 22 year old self to trust in your gut and believe in yourself and get your asking gear and ask as many questions as you can, in pivot tents can inspire, push and motivate you. And lastly, she’s all about love, happiness and comfort, which is exactly how she really lives her life and that’s her legacy that she’s going to leave behind and fantastic. She’s very humble, yet very hungry. She’s She’s levels up her health levels up her wealth. She’s a total go giver. And Gina, thank you so much for joining. Can’t get rid of us. You’re part of our squad now.

26:46  

Thank you. I love you. Love you too not Ah,

26:50  

hey, thanks so much for listening to this episode of time to shine today podcast, proudly brought to you by southern New Jersey real estate. Real Estate excellence who can be reached at 612497266 and online at www dot Sutter in nugent.com. If you’re a business owner or professional who would like to be interviewed on time to shine today, please visit time to shine today comm slash guests. If you liked this episode, please subscribe on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, I Heart Radio or wherever you get your podcasts. There’s a link in the show notes to our website. Also there you will see a recommended resources. We hope that you will support our show by supporting them. If you like what you’ve been listening to, it’d be great if you could just give us a five star rating until your friends have subscribed while you’re at it. I’m your host, Scott Ferguson. And until next time, let’s level up it’s our time to shine.

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