Senior regional manager and sales trainer Courtney Dies joined The Connor Group in May of 2016. She currently supports our Chicago, Nashville and Minneapolis markets. And over her five years with the company, she’s become a cultural icon.
In 2021, Courtney began leading bootcamps for developing managers, taking on additional responsibilities and helping shape future Connor Group leaders. She raised her hand last year and moved from Nashville to Chicago to support our people and our markets.
“Courtney is always willing to go anywhere and do anything,” partner and regional head Brad Dykes said. “She does the right thing and always thinks long-term, not short-term.”
Loop asked her to take us back to the beginning of her journey with TCG as she celebrates her five-year anniversary…
QUESTION: What was your previous job?
ANSWER: I was a district manager for The Limited.
Q: Did you find us or did we find you?
A: The Connor Group found me on LinkedIn. Like so many people I talk to, I wasn’t actively looking. When my recruiter contacted me, I was open to it.
Q: What do you remember most from your interview?
A: I asked partner and VP of recruiting Chris Jemo about the high turnover. He told me that only the best of the best make it, and not everyone can be that. I thought to myself, “Challenge accepted!”
Q: Did you have concerns about taking the job? What were they?
A: Yes, I was used to a fast-paced, constantly changing work environment, which I really enjoyed. I didn’t want a boring desk job. Boy, was I wrong. Thank goodness for the day in the field to see that it was anything but a boring desk job.
Q: What do you remember most from your first day?
A: Honestly, it’s all a blur. I started in the summer at a college property. The one memory I do have is I was handed a script for phone leads, sat down at a desk and told to schedule appointments. The first time the phone rang, I scheduled the appointment, and I said, “I’ve got this!”
Q: Who was your first Connor Group mentor?
A: That would be CEO Bob Lloyd. I lucked out and got Bob as my regional head two months into my time at TCG. I was a non-cultural stubborn mess when I started, but Bob saw something in me and invested in me. It wasn’t always pretty or pleasant, but I would not be where I am or the leader I am today without his relentless leadership and development.
Q: What were your initial impressions of Connor Group culture?
A: When I started with TCG, the Nashville market had a culture problem. So, it wasn’t as apparent when I started as it would be now in Nashville. Bob held me accountable and corrected me every time I wasn’t cultural. With the support of Bob, partner and senior director Kim Whitesell and partner and regional trainer Tenniel Wilson, we changed the culture in Nashville. So to answer your question, once I fully realized what our culture was and why I fell in love with it, I can’t imagine working in a different environment.
Q: If you had a time machine and could travel back to your first day, knowing what you know now, what would you tell yourself?
A: Don’t try to re-invent the wheel. Believe in our systems. The systems work. If the system isn’t working, it’s because you don’t believe in it. Said differently, you are the problem. People who are successful here don’t make excuses; they create solutions!
