In Tobi's Words...
As I reflect on this moment in time and the honor of what obtaining the Athena award means for Ngage Management, I am certain of two things: It is sheer determination that has gotten us to this point, and it will be the innovative, knowledgeable team of experts and employees who take us further. I have always had a solid vision in my mind of the trajectory I was on, and now as I look to continue to grow Ngage and the business goals I set, I am so grateful and eager for the opportunity to consult with this panel of advisors and what will undoubtedly be tremendous insight and know-how.
When I first began my career, I was as bright-eyed as any entrepreneur could be. I was tenacious, goal-oriented, and driven to succeed; completely convinced that with enough elbow grease and tenacity, my aspirations would surely be realized. While so many of my dreams have come to fruition, it is in celebrating this tremendous Athena achievement that I also reflect the setbacks as well as they give even more context to the significance of my story, and what is now our story.
Because I believe in the power of authenticity and storytelling, I want to be sure that I share some of the less shiny details of my path. I think these details are too often spared even though they are so much of what builds our character and creates our circles of people; both of which are so precious to me. The founding and early years of Ngage came as an almost direct result of disappoint and difficulty that knocked the wind out of me. Following an unexpected career loss, a cancer diagnosis, and a public and upsetting divorce that threatened my livelihood and the future of Ngage, I felt compromised, confused, and challenged in a way I had not previously ever known.
Honestly, I’m not sure I would have been able to persevere if it had not been for my dad. From a very young age, he instilled in me the idea that how we respond to setbacks and changes is fundamental to the levels of success we can ultimately achieve. He taught me about resiliency, which is a governing part of who I am. Following these obstacles, I reset my focus, leaned into my people, and have consistently averaged more than 236% of sales growth each year at a company I almost lost to an unfathomable divorce. It is with this same principle that I decided I would not yield to the pressure of the various circumstances that surrounded me and how, after muddling through, I continue to grow my business and my team. I am humbled to share my story and honored for the opportunity it has led to.
While our type of business is not new to the Michigan market, Ngage Management has become a recognized name in the industry and seeks to redefine how associations and nonprofits receive service. Though we are operating in a competitive marketplace, Ngage offers something unique: its people. Our customer value proposition is leveraged by one thing: the committed, determined team members who deliver it. I am thrilled to be able to sync up the team we have built with this panel of experts who can mentor us with guidance. I have brought the business this far but know the next wide step requires support and knowledge that I cannot solely provide.
I have told the story of my past – now I would like to share my vision of the future. The profitable business of Ngage’s success no longer belongs to just myself, it belongs to my team. I have actively pursued a business model and infrastructure that follows the idea of both thought and servant leadership and the team has grown in around me – not just in numbers but in their own careers. While I plan to continue to build and grow Ngage, I know that a strong succession plan is a vital investment to our future and the future of our leadership. For this reason, I am eager to share that one of the business goals I plan to deliberate on with the panel of experts is transitioning Ngage to an employee-owned company.
While I plan to rely on input, insight, and direction from the panel, I am certain that this transition to employee ownership of Ngage will mean more rapid growth, productivity, and increased revenue. It has been through observation and experience that I have concluded a truly secure business plan is only as good as its staunch succession plan. Additionally, the sooner it is established, the more prepared we can be for whatever unforeseeable challenges potentially await. It is important to me that whether it is my own future retirement or changes in the marketplace, the employees of this company ultimately have a say in its legacy and will be able to shape their futures and the evolution of business around it. I am excited to share more as we build this out and feel proud of the legacy Ngage will have for many years to come.
Winning this Athena award has meant a great deal to me, not just for the resource it provides, but because of the people in the community whom it affiliates me with. It is an honor to be recognized alongside the past Athena award winners and I hope that what I can accomplish, in conjunction with our team, will make future award winners and women in the community as proud as I am to be part of it.
