Interview with a Manager.edited

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Nov 24, 2024

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1 Interview with a Manager  Name of manager, name of organization, job title, date interviewed, method of interview (in-person; Zoom, Skype, phone, etc.?) For this interview, I requested and successfully obtained the opportunity to interview Susan Martinez, who is the General Manager of a petcare and adoption agency called Boulder Petcare. The interview was conducted over the phone on October 27 th 2023, as we were unable to set up a time and date that was conducive for a virtual meeting due to the work demands of her role, along with my academic and personal commitments.  How do you know this manager? Ms Martinez is my best friend's godmother, and I have a personal relationship with her as we have met at several social and family events owing to my close friendship with Amy Martinez, her goddaughter.  Biographical information – childhood, early adulthood; education; career (where has this person worked and what did they do?) Per Susan, she grew up in California and was raised by her mother, along with three brothers and one sister. She developed a passion for animals during her teenage years and would regularly take in sick and injured animals she found at the park or even beside the road. It was during this time that she decided she would pursue a career in animal care, with the aim of founding her own animal care program. She attended Oakland High School, which was a short distance away from home, and allowed her to volunteer at the local pet store during the weekends. After high school, she received a scholarship to attend college and subsequently pursued a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science at the University of California, Davis. While still in college, she pursued professional qualifications as a Certified Animal Care Technician (C.A.C.T.), Certified

2 Professional Dog Trainer (C.P.D.T.), and a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT). After graduation, she worked at the VIP Petcare Wellness Center in Oakland, where she gained professional experience. After five years in this role, she enrolled for a Master of Business Administration (MBA) at Stanford University. While at Stanford, she worked closely with the Animal Research and Care department, where she networked with other animal science professionals in conducting research and studying national trends in animal care and pet ownership. After graduating from Stanford with an MBA, she worked at the Animal Hospital of Palo Alto as a consultant specialist in animal behavior. She served in this capacity for four years while also engaging in private practice as a part-time animal trainer. During this time, she received a job offer from an old acquaintance she met while doing animal research at Stanford. It was a position as the manager of Boulder Petcare, an up-and-coming animal care center in Boulder, Colorado. She is currently two years into this role.  How did this person become a manager? Susan believes she became a manager through a combination of education, experience, and passion. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science and a Master of Business Administration from Stanford University and holds several professional qualifications. After college, she gained experience working as an animal care technician, veterinary assistant, and animal trainer. She also worked as a consultant specialist in animal behavior. This, combined with her passion for animals and her commitment to excellence in animal care, led her to the position of manager at Boulder Petcare.  Current company structure, organization chart if available, where this manager fits in. To whom does this manager report? Who (by function) reports to them -- directly and indirectly (solid line, dotted line, matrix?)

3 This is the current organizational structure of Boulder Petcare: Ms. Martinez reports to the CEO. She has direct reports to veterinarians, veterinary technicians, animal care technicians, and customer service representatives. All of Susan Martinez's reports are solid line reports. This means that they report directly to her, and she is responsible for their performance. She states that she prefers solid line reports as opposed to dotted-line or matrix reports because “when employees have a single manager, there is no confusion about who they are responsible to and who is responsible for their performance.” This leads to improved efficiency and productivity.  How does this manager carry out the four main functions of management? (you may have to refresh their memory on the four functions!) Ms. Martinez was already conscious of the four functions of management and stated that she routinely employs management theories such as the four functions to guide her decision-making as a manager. For instance, Ms. Martinez stated that she carries out the planning function by setting goals and objectives for the animal care center, and developing strategies to achieve those Chief Executive Officer General Manager Veterinarians Customer Service Professionals Animal Specialists Chief Financial Officer Company Accountants

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4 goals. She also develops policies and procedures to ensure that the center is operating efficiently and effectively. Similarly, she carries out the organizing function by creating a structure for the animal care center, and assigning tasks and responsibilities to her staff. For instance, she creates a weekly schedule of animal care technicians who are responsible for feeding, cleaning, and exercising the animals. She also selects a team of customer service representatives who are responsible for answering questions from potential adopters and processing adoption applications every week. When I asked her about her leading function, she said that she regularly meets with her staff to discuss their progress and offer support. She also recognizes and rewards staff members for their achievements, which keeps them motivated. Lastly, she controls the organization by keeping progress reports. For instance, she tracks the number of animals served each month and compares it to the center's goal. If the center is not meeting its goal, she adjusts her strategy or develops new programs to attract more clients.  What big project is this manager expected to accomplish this year? This year, Ms. Martinez is expected to open a new satellite location for the animal care center in Larimer County, Colorado. This project will involve: 1. Identifying a suitable location for the new satellite center. 2. Negotiating a lease or purchase agreement for the new location. 3. Renovating the new location to meet the needs of an animal care center. 4. Hiring and training staff for the new location. 5. Marketing the new location to the community. It is expected to be completed within the next 12 months and will allow the animal care center to reach more animals in need and help reduce the number of euthanized animals in the community.  What three metrics does this manager track at all times? (e.g., sales; return on investment;

5 inventory turns; market share; maintenance issues; cash flow; new product pipeline; other.) According to Ms. Martinez, she tracks sales revenue because it is an important indicator of the financial health of the animal care center. Sales are also a measure of the center's success in providing services to its clients. By tracking revenue, she identifies trends and patterns and can compare the center's performance to its goals and objectives. This information helps her to make informed decisions about how to allocate resources and how to improve the center's performance. Another metric she closely tracks is the adoption rate. This is the number of animals adopted each month divided by the total number of animals in the center. This metric is important to track because it helps Ms. Martinez to assess the effectiveness of the center's adoption programs and to identify areas where improvement is needed. Similarly, she tracks the euthanasia rate, which is the number of animals euthanized each month divided by the total number of animals in the center. This helps her identify trends and to ensure that the center is doing everything it can to reduce the number of euthanized animals.  From what source does this manager update their knowledge (e.g., on-the-job training; company seminars; trade or professional organization, personal reading, other?) Ms. Martinez is a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT), and she regularly attends APDT conferences and workshops. She also subscribes to APDT publications and online resources. In addition to this, she reads books and articles on animal care and welfare, as well as on business management. She also follows blogs and social media accounts of animal care professionals and organizations. Importantly, she stresses that she is constantly experimenting with new methods and approaches to animal care and welfare. This includes learning from her staff members, who are experts in their own right.

6  Did this manager have a mentor or mentors as they progressed in their career? If so, who was their mentor (not necessarily by name) and what did they learn from this relationship? Ms. Martinez had a mentor as she progressed in her career. Her mentor was a veterinarian whom she met when she was working as an animal care technician. He was impressed with Ms. Martinez's dedication and her passion for animal care. He, therefore, took Ms. Martinez under his wing and taught her everything he knew about veterinary medicine and animal welfare. Ms. Martinez believes she learned a great deal from her mentor, including the importance of building relationships with clients and educating them about animal care, and staying up-to-date on the latest trends and best practices in veterinary medicine. He also helped her develop her leadership and management skills by showing her how to set goals, delegate tasks, and motivate staff.  What is this manager’s greatest challenge at this time? Ms. Martinez's greatest challenge at this moment is opening the new satellite location for the animal care center. This is a big project that will require a significant investment of time and resources. She will need to carefully plan and execute the project in order to ensure its success. She is currently in the process of developing a marketing plan for the new location and is considering outsourcing advertising services due to her relative inexperience in that department and the firm's lack of an established marketing department.  What advice would they give to a person starting out in management? When I asked her for some advice for prospective managers, she said: “Make sure that your team members know what is expected of them and provide them with the resources and support they need to succeed. Also, remember that communication is key to success in management. Be able to communicate your vision and goals to your team, and be willing to listen to and understand their feedback.

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7  Ask at least one question of your own. (What is the most rewarding part of your job?) Despite the expectation that a high salary would be the most rewarding thing about her job, Ms. Martinez said that the most rewarding part of her job is seeing animals healed and adopted into loving homes. She loves knowing that she is making a difference in the lives of animals and their owners. She also enjoys working with her team of dedicated staff members who are passionate about animal care.

Interview with a Manager.edited

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