Since 2009, partners Andrew Elsener & Andy Schenck have continued to build and expand Spot into the best company that it can possibly be! From starting in a small room serving as an office to now operating their headquarters out of a brand new facility in downtown Indianapolis, the two of them have come a long way with their goal of building their own business. This last week of August is Employee Appreciation Week here at Spot, and we thought there was no better way to kick off our week full of activities than sitting down to listen to a little Q&A session with our President and Co-Founder himself, Andrew Elsener!
Q: Why did you choose to start your own company?
A: Andrew discussed how he and fellow co-founder, Andy Schenck, both worked for an asset based logistics company that wasn’t continually getting invested in in terms of time, money, or innovation. He recalled the final straw of his frustration when going onsite to a possible sale and feeling discouraged because both he and the potential client he was speaking with could both tell there was not a lot of care going into the company and the products they were attempting to sell. After this incident, he realized that if he wanted to grow and further his career that he would have to leave his current job. It was this motivation that drove the both of them to begin their own entrepreneurial journey.
Q: What was your journey like to get to where you are now?
A: “Very different than what everybody thinks,” is how Andrew began answering this question. He talked about how it sounds fun and exciting at first, but he also said how it is definitely hard at times. Although most people think of money when they think of the business world, Andrew emphasized that despite making a profit, you have to love what you do in order to truly gain success.
Q: What was something you had to learn the hard way?
A: “A lot,” was Andrew’s immediate response when asked this. He continued on to discuss how you can’t allow yourself to be stubborn in business…it will cost you lots of money and people in the process. Andrew stressed the importance of remaining humble and staying motivated to work through any tough problems that come along.
Q: How do you learn and get better?
A: Andrew recollected on how much smarter Spot has become through its years. The number one thing he emphasized was the importance of the various experiences you’ll have and how it’s these experiences that will help you learn. It’s all about embracing your mistakes and discovering how to plan, plot, and execute moving forward. The beauty of business is that everybody is going to make mistakes sooner or later, but Andrew established that it’s how you react to these mistakes that makes companies better.
Q: When it’s all over, how do you want to be remembered?
A: When answering this, Andrew spoke honestly about how he doesn’t necessarily care about being remembered personally, but he hopes that Spot will be known as a company that executes at a high level. He talked about how essential customer service is in order to show that a company truly cares about the people they’re working with, and Spot sets itself apart by utilizing this to their advantage.
Q: How would you describe yourself in one word?
A: Passionate was the first word that came to Andrew’s mind, which is a quality he exemplifies each and every day when he comes into the office.
Q: How do you see the company changing over the next few years?
A: The two key points Andrew communicated to Spot employees were continuing technology innovation within the workplace and increasing head count in the office. Spot is known as a fast growing company within a constantly changing industry, and in order to be the best we can possibly be, we have to keep up with the times, trends, and people in order to keep getting the job done.
Q: Let’s say you just graduated college…why would you want to come work at Spot?
A: Entrepreneurial experience. At Spot, you are able to truly experience the business world without multiple restrictions and guidelines that a lot of other companies have. Spot gives you the ability to do your own thing. It’s this sense of freedom in the office setting that our employees continue to love and learn from by being able to be in charge of their own life and grow their own career. Spot is a place where you are able to create and execute tasks with your voice being heard and mattering to those around you.
Q: What do Spot employees do better than anybody else?
A: The Spot team is compiled of a group of passionate individuals. Andrew spoke about how this aspect is the first thing that comes to mind because despite the various different job positions or descriptions in our office, everyone here comes together as a team to help out whenever they are needed.
Q: Is there anything you want to tell your employees during Employee Appreciation Week?
A: Andrew concluded his interview by telling everyone at Spot how much he really appreciates them. He said one thing this company has always had, despite high times or low times, is passion. This is what he believes continues to make Spot great as a company. Regardless of what position you have, Andrew told each person how everything they do here is important, which is why every employee here is valued. He loves coming to work every day because he undoubtedly sees the teamwork and love every employee has for one another and the business. This is what makes Spot different!
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