WebPTers
Jovana Samardzich,Therabill Support Lead | Brock Lefferts, Graphic Design & Brand Manager | Brooke Andrus, Content Marketing Manager | Cora, Barketing Manager
WebPT Members
Dr. Amy Brannon, Owner of T.O.P.S Physical & Osteopractics | Dr. Benjamin Hill, Owner of Mission Physical Therapy
Michelle Micalizzi, Artist
(All Rights Reserved)
10% of the proceeds from the sale of this work benefits: United Blood Services of Arizona.
For the next two blogs and paintings we are focusing on WebPT’s core value:
PERSONALITY – BE MINTY
We are all about spirit, spunk and collaboration – and of course, fresh
breath never hurts. That kind of energy is contagious,
and Members appreciate our service with a smiley approach.
When I met with Heidi Jannenga back in Fall of 2017 I thought it would be nice to have the last blog focus on one employee, one dog and one member in a single interview. After a moment of thought, Heidi warmly and energetically agreed that it was a great idea. Shortly thereafter I got a call from Heidi’s assistant, Paula, telling me that Heidi wanted me to interview three employees and two Members in three separate interviews. I chuckled. I just love Heidi’s do more attitude. This is a woman that believes more is better and she is 100% right. Five subjects for this interview was a great idea because the number magically matches the five key takeaways from each interview. I added another subject for this interview with (must be some kind of Doodle) canine Cora, the WebPT Barketing Manager, so that she could bark in.
When I sat down for the interview with the four WebPTers I understood why Heidi wanted me to interview them as a team. She wanted me to see the warm
camaraderie and experience the good-natured banter which is the heart of the WebPTers. Not only was it fun to watch but they also demonstrated the value that this kind of collaborative energy is contagious. You are drawn into the banter and within minutes it becomes an impromptu stand-up comedy routine. Who would not want to work in a culture where dogs are part of the conversation, laughter is easy, and a commitment to caring is so evident?
As I write this, the irony that many people end up in PT due to car accidents is not lost on me. Route 17 is the fourth most dangerous highway in the country and I would imagine that Route 51 and Route 101 are right behind it on the list of dangerous highways to drive. On my first attempt to get to Amy I had to reschedule for a later time in the day due to what appeared to be a fatal accident that had me in stalled traffic. The same thing happened on my way to Ben’s office in Gilbert. I was stuck in standstill traffic hoping that whoever had just stopped the flow of traffic was okay. In fact, on my way to one of my first WebPT Leadership team interviews I am lucky to have walked away from what could have been a very, very bad accident as a car abruptly pulled in front of me and I was forced to bounce off the car beside me. I am still amazed and thankful that I was able to walk away unharmed. All I can say about that day is that God definitely has other plans for me! Oddly, I have taken my life in my hands to make these 14 interviews happen.
When I was able to finally meet WebPT Member Dr. Amy Brannon, I once again understood why Heidi wanted me to meet Amy in her element. From the moment, I walked into T.O.P.S. I could feel that not only was this a place where true healing happened but it was also a place where the professionals who were at work here meant business. The business of healing is an important commonality that all those who are associated with WebPTers take very seriously. Amy and I went off into a conference room where I got to get a sense of the heart of this young lady who is committed to creating and running a business of integrity where respect reigns.
I never did make it to see Ben in his office because I knew I would be hours late if I stayed on the highway. I turned around and called his office from my studio and asked that Ben and I respect his time and record a Zoom call instead. We were down to the wire on time and could not put the interview off to a different day. This is what we do when we have a project that is limited by time and resources. We improvise on a dime.
I would have loved to have been in Ben’s office with him. However, I had the same experience with Ben as I did with the WebPTers and Amy. I could once again feel why Heidi wanted me to meet him individually. Dr. Benjamin Hill is a very special man. I did not need to be in the same room with him to feel the sincerity of his heart. There is no missing Ben’s heart. In fact, my interview with him is one I will never forget. His response to my last question – “What Is the biggest lesson you have learned about being fearless?” was so heartfelt and genuine that it made us both cry. As I sat in my studio listening to this gentle man tell me his truth I thought …. Wow…… what a true honor it is to witness such a kind human being be so absolutely genuine. The fact that my art is tied to that kind of sincerity humbles me to my core and quite frankly is the whole reason I do this crazy work that I do. Entrepreneurs like Ben who do the real work are my muse.
The real work is an inside job not an outside job. Service with a smile is achieved by all of these folks from a very genuine place and that is what makes is so contagious.
FEARLESS INTERVIEW
VIDEO 1 of 3 – WebPTers
VIDEO 2 of 3 – Dr. Amy Brannon
VIDEO 3 of 3 – Dr Benjamin Hill
WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM BROOK, BROCK, JOVANNA, AMY AND BEN ABOUT BEING FEARLESS?
1. It’s All About the People
Brook left her home state that she loves for what she thought would be a year of surviving unbearable heat before she would return to Montana. Five years later she says that the reason she stays in Arizona is because of the people. Universally in this entire series, the reason that people are at WebPT or need the services that WebPT provides are the same. It truly is all about the people.
2. Be Hyper Caffeinated & Wacky
Brock has a sense of humor and sweetness to him that lights up any room he walks into. He is also exceedingly bright and talented and like others who fit that mold, he has a way with words that exceeds more than the original intent of the words. Like every creative I know he plays with words and meanings like others play cards. Who can not relate to the words hyper caffeinated and wacky? And when you hear them or say them; the words make you smile. This positive fun attitude carries over to members and makes working with WebPT FUN. We like fun!
3. People Remember How You Make Them Feel
Jovana quotes one of my favorite Maya Angelou statements,” I’velearned that people will forget what you said, peoplewill forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Never have truer words been spoken. Long after our memory fails us with the details; how we felt about a situation stays with us. This concept is at the root of the intent of the Being Minty value.
4. Be Evidenced Based
Amy said that her practice is “evidenced based.” I love this idea. Over and over again throughout my time interviewing the leaders of WebPT and all the charities they support; every person is practicing at the highest level they can. Education is key. Staying on top of changes in the industry and having the best and most current information is necessary to provide the best care. In addition, disrupters are on the top of their game and want to make something better happen!
5. Love and Tenderness Makes Everything Better
I watched Cora being loved up at WebPT and if she could speak I am sure she would tell you that love and tenderness just makes life so much better!
6. Take Care of Others: And Others Will Take Care of You
“Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, it’s at the end of your arm,
as you get older, remember you have another hand:
The first is to help yourself, the second is to help others.”
~ Audrey Hepburn
As I mentioned earlier in this story, Ben and I both got caught up in emotion at the tail end of his interview. This idea of who helped who is a similar question like, which came first the chicken or the egg? I have always found that when I help others I get so much more from the experience than they do.
Anyone who has ever taken the leap of faith necessary to take on a brick and mortar location and become responsible for employees knows the lump in Ben Hills throat well. As a woman, I saw my own father and all fathers in him when I listened. It is one thing to be a single person taking that leap of faith; it is quite another to be a husband and father of five taking that leap of faith.
At its core – WebPT is all about helping brave souls like Ben to do the impossible and live the American dream WHILE they heal people. WebPT is not a software solution created by detached developers. WebPT is a people solution created by a fellow rehab therapist who understands what business owners like Ben have to do every day to keep their doors open so that they can heal people. Service with a smile is appreciated by all especially when there is so much at stake.
Thank you so much Jovana, Brock, Brook, Amy and Ben for giving back the way you all do every day, for choosing to work hard to be part of the Web PT culture and our community and for taking time out for this interview!
ILLUSTRATIONS STORY
I had a few ideas about this piece focusing on what happens when we smile. People smile back. Have you ever noticed that? Go ahead try it! Right now. Look the first person you see dead pan and expressionless in the eye and then smile big. They will smile right back at you. In fact, they will start to smile before the edges of your own mouth are in full smile.
I started to noodle about what images I could put together that would demonstrate this phenomenon. In my research, I looked up the benefits of the herb mint. I was amazed to see all the healing qualities Mint has.
As per the Organic Facts Website: Mint has several benefits which include proper digestion and weight loss, relief from nausea, depression, fatigue, and headache. It is used in the treatment of asthma, memory loss, and skin care problems. This well-known mouth and breath freshener is scientifically known as Mentha and has more than two dozen species and hundreds of varieties. It is an herb that has been used for hundreds of years for its remarkable medicinal properties. The market is full of products like toothpastes, chewing gums, breath fresheners, candies, and inhalers, which have mint as their base element.
Once I read this – I knew I did not have to fight the image of a stick of gum that kept coming to mind. Mint does not just make your breath smell fresh. Mint is an herb that heals just like WebPT does.
I had just bought a few packs of gum. I usually keep gum in my car for when I am driving. I guess now that I think about it, chewing helps me to deal with traffic. I took out five pieces for the five humans I interviewed and opened them. I did not take a piece out for Cora the pup because it is important to note that some gums can kill dogs*.
As I configured the sticks, I chuckled to see that they actually looked like people in sleeping bags or babies wrapped in blankets or a folks in a jacket with a big maybe fur collar. As I re-arranged the sticks on my desk to decide which configuration I would paint them in I saw more and more how that they had oddly human traits.
Empathy and kindness are the root of this service with a smile value. When we offer someone a piece of gum, the response we get is similar to what happens when we smile at people because offering a piece of gum is always benevolent and is always a peace offering.
*Xylitol Toxicity in Dogs. There are certain sugar-free gums, candies, toothpastes, mouthwashes, and baked goods which contain xylitol, a 5-carbon sugar alcohol used as a sweetener. When ingested by dogs, xylitol may cause vomiting, loss of coordination, seizures, and in severe cases, liver failure.~ PetMD
Work was shown at the The Art of Fearlessly Giving Back I – Web PT opening on May 18, 2018 at The Arizona Science Center.
Thank you to the 2018 Fearless Partners:
11Eleven Consulting|Peg Quinn| The AZ Consortium for the Arts|Charity Charms|Bob Diercksmeier of RJD Creative
Entrepreneurs and inspiring stories of all kinds are Fearlessly Deliver’s muse and focus. As an artist, a business woman and a visual journalist Michelle Micalizzi paints with a purpose. The Fearless Art Projects are collaborative social practice art engagements that connect art + business + community.
The ART OF FEARLESSLY GIVING BACK (AoFGB) is a community awareness series that focuses on the mission of select charitable organizations and the social responsible companies and philanthropic individuals that support them.