Last week I was in a situation that for many working-world newcomers like me would be–at the very least–intimidating: an extended work trip to a big convention involving two LONG car rides with not only my boss, but HIS boss too.
Oh, and did I mention they’re a father-son team?
Paul (my boss) and Jim Jonas (his boss) show off the Filing Cabinet Backpack Paul and I built.
Any trip of that magnitude could have been less than enjoyable, but taking BreezyNotes EHR on the road to the American Psychological Association 2016 Convention was great. Here are three reasons why road-tripping to Denver with my boss (Paul Jonas) and his boss (Jim Jonas, LICSW, LMFT) was such a success.
They value genuine relationships.
I am the Communications Specialist at BreezyNotes. I’ve always had a good working relationship with Paul and Jim, but I enjoyed getting to know them even more over those five days.
On our way to Denver, we stopped at the farm where Jim grew up. I saw where he used to raise livestock, looked at the creek so narrow Jim rode a motorcycle through it as a kid, and walked the tracks as Jim used to.
We also talked about the future, about Jim’s ambition to someday open an integrated care nonprofit for rural populations.
As I got to know Jim and Paul, they got to know me more as well. I’m a guarded person, but the two of them love to ask questions, and have been slowly teasing me out of my shell since they hired me as an intern last year. It’s not surprising, as Jim is a marriage and family therapist and Director of The Jonas Center.
On the trip, at some point I “outed” myself as a roller coaster enthusiast. And I would have understood if their eyes had glazed over when I started talking about the subject. But they genuinely enjoyed listening to me talk about my passions and building a relationship with me. I really appreciate that.
And their desire to form genuine relationships carried into our time at the APA Convention.
When we spoke with people at the BreezyNotes booth, Paul and Jim were most interested to hear their stories. And not just clinicians: the two founders chatted with students, researchers, other exhibitors and even competitors.
In our industry, it’s so tempting to just focus on the software: the clicks, the seconds you save, the money that’s spent, and the notes you sign. It’s easy to forget about the people. At the end of the day it’s humans using and supporting EHRs. You can tell because…
They enjoy taking a break from being serious.
Paul and Jim know how to strike a balance between taking their business seriously and injecting a little fun into the mix.
And that spices things up. I mean, really, I don’t think I’m ever going to work in another place where my boss orders coffee and a burrito while wearing a filing cabinet backpack.
Getting coffee & a burrito w/ the filing cabinet backpack! See it in person @ Booth 172! #APA2016 pic.twitter.com/Rt0NOrlJgJ
— BreezyNotes EHR (@BreezyNotesEHR) August 5, 2016
And we might build something even more fun when we choose the winner for our filing cabinet reuse contest. Kitty Karrier anyone?
Katie's idea to reuse a filing cabinet: Kitty Karrier! Give us your idea & you could win a $50 gift card! #APA2016 pic.twitter.com/zEmkK11sr9
— BreezyNotes EHR (@BreezyNotesEHR) August 4, 2016
Mary's very practical idea for filing cabinet reuse: Tool box! #APA2016 pic.twitter.com/CnioUbh0Dm
— BreezyNotes EHR (@BreezyNotesEHR) August 4, 2016
My favorite part of being at the APA Convention was playing our movie quotes guessing game with the attendees. We got to be game show hosts for a day, challenging some pretty smart people and making them laugh. It may have been a ploy to draw people into our booth, but the fun was a pretty fantastic side effect!
And even when they’re having fun, Paul and Jim don’t lose sight of one of their core values:
They prioritize the success of others.
In small and large ways, Paul and Jim help others find success.
One example personal to me involved raw seafood. After a long day at the APA Convention, the three of us went out to Stoic & Genuine for a little celebration. They immediately eyed the raw oysters, a food I’d never thought to try.
They convinced me to try one. I was apprehensive, but dipped it in a little horseradish and put it in my mouth. And it was good! That culinary experience was pretty unique, so I’m happy I got the opportunity to try it.
Their desire to help others grow is not limited to me, but is also extended to the students walking by our booth at APA and, of course, our customers.
Obviously, in order for us to be successful, our customers need to find success too. But it’s not all about that.
Our launch party on November 5, 2016.
Since we launched last November, it’s clear from top to bottom that this is a company where people come first. Paul and Jim care a great deal for the success of our customers. Seeing that, it reinforces for me how important the people are around a software company, regardless of whether they are buying or selling it.
BreezyNotes EHR is a great product. Seeing how much easier our customers’ jobs are is part of the reason I took this job. But, working for two men who care so much for other people, and who are so fun to be around, is the most important reason that I work here. And it’s clearly important to our customers, too.