< Scroll down to watch episode 2 >
In our second episode with Mary Perkins, co-founder of the world’s largest privately owned optical company, we discuss the structure for growth. We dive into the power of the right partnerships in building unity and ensuring the red thread of purpose makes the impact you wish it to make in your community. Any structure requires evolving people and yourself, how did Mary manage to do the things that many of us find difficult? To let go and let others, more qualified than us, move in?
Summarising key points
We hope you enjoyed episode 2. This is a summary of some of our favourite points discussed, which might get you thinking about about your company and your growth:
- Building the right structure for growth that lets the values run smoothly throughout the organisation. The way we work is with a unified “WE” led by purpose and not the bottom line
- Create joy at work through unity, celebrating and sharing stories
- Show purpose as the most important focus, create a crusade, surround yourself with people who do the same
- Share success and wealth: The joint venture partnership enabled the right people to be at the front end in their own business, ensuring the purpose of bringing down the cost of eyewear was in shared hands
- Being local and connecting to the customer; having owners at the front-end ensured the passion never left anybody, both in the support teams and in-stores, it kept the care genuine
- Think of your customer 5 years ahead
- Letting go: recruit experts when the time is right, however plan forward and consider future needs so you don’t make rushed decisions
- Recruit on culture first
- Have a strong meeting structure, placing yourself where you will have the greatest impact
- Celebrate and promote the use of femine traits: care, collaboration and collective success, and place those that could hold us back, such as perfection, in the right place
There are 3 episodes in this interview series. If you haven’t watched the others yet, click below.
