A Conversation with EarthCon's Leadership Team …
Before you joined the workforce and considered consulting as a career, what was it about consulting that attracted you?
Earl Scott “I liked the fact that you are the master of your own universe in terms of job success. If you do a great job for clients, they will continue to hire you. And, you will have value for the firm you are working with, instead of being at the mercy of external factors like the price of a barrel of oil (if you work in the oil industry as I did in my early career) or how many cars are sold, etc.”
Shawn Severn “The attraction early on was the business of solving problems. As consultants we don’t make or create anything. In order to add value, we create a knowledge-based business to eliminate problems. That’s what appealed to me then and what I still love today.”
Tim Goist “Even before I went to college, I had a strong interest in both science and business. So when it came time to select my undergraduate major and graduate degree area of study, I looked for a path that would allow me to pursue both interests. It quickly became apparent that Geology provided that avenue. From exploration to economic geology, there was a constant blend of business and science applications. When I considered my career options, Consulting was the natural fit as it allowed me to pursue my passion for science and business concurrently.”
David Wade “Early on I met a Consultant at my first research job. I was working at a refinery on the fate and persistence of PAHs in the subsurface on Lake Erie. What I heard from that Consultant that caught my attention, was the variety this career offered. Later, when I signed on with a large international engineering firm, I found it was exactly what I wanted – fast pace, always different jobs, the ability to travel, great people and a good salary. I’ve never looked back or regretted my decision.”
Now that you’ve been in the business for some time, what have you found to be accurate and what was the most surprising?
Earl Scott “There is still a lot of value in having a practice with clients and being able to bring revenue to the firm. Most surprising, is the practical outcome of the consolidation in our industry. It has removed client relationships from individuals and directed them more towards the firm. Consequently employees are at the mercy of their employer and not as much the master of their own job security and career success.”
Shawn Severn “Early on it was clear to me that it did not matter what technical service you provided, the focus had to be on the customer and their goals. Perhaps the surprise is that there are so many consultants out there that just don’t get it. And for us, I guess that’s a good thing.”
Tim Goist “I have found that the consulting world is a very competitive business. Therefore, in order to survive you need to separate yourself from the pack by offering something that your competitors are not offering. I believe we have managed to do that at EarthCon. Our mindset through the entire organization is to be innovative and to look at the work we do through our client’s eyes.”
Dave Wade “I think that your decisions have a massive impact on what goes on around you. It’s best to spend extra time getting the work done properly and accurately or you may not get a second chance with the client. The most surprising … it sure is a small World in the environmental science and engineering community. I look back at the contacts I made in my early years and a lot of those people are still in the industry. Some work for me, some are my clients, some the regulators, but all came from the same start and that’s very interesting.”
As a member of the leadership team, what motivates you to grow the company?
Earl Scott “The opportunity to work with more environmental and engineering professionals, to serve our clients in other ways and more fully … to have the opportunity to work with new clients.”
Shawn Severn “Growth in our industry will not come from being a little bit better than our competitors. We will be judged by the value we bring. My motivation to grow EarthCon comes from finding and attracting leaders that can thrive in a fast-paced competitive environment. Leaders know that to succeed in this business, you have to deliver more than quality technical work. To stand apart, you need to provide an edge and a dedication to customer service, which is rare today. Having a PhD or PE just gives you the right to “play”—but after that it is meaningless unless you can help the client achieve their business goals.”
Tim Goist “I have always loved sports and that feeling of working as a team to achieve a common goal. EarthCon's growth comes from a culture of teamwork. Our Mutually Beneficial Thinking philosophy sets the stage for all of us to work together to do the best we can in our respective positions. It is a simple yet rewarding process when done well. The company succeeds when we help clients meet their goals. And, frankly, there is nothing more satisfying to me than seeing people share in the rewards for their contribution to that effort. It is a cycle of bringing together great employees to build a great company, that in turn creates the happiest clients. Giving more people the opportunity to participate in that process is my motivation to grow the company.”
Dave Wade “The main thing that motivates me …is the satisfaction I get from watching an employee succeed and a client praise us for excellent work. That’s what keeps me coming back to work each day.”
What is your Vision for EarthCon’s evolution in the years ahead?
Earl Scott “Our goal is to continue to provide business-oriented solutions in the areas of consulting, site and field management and environmental construction with even more resources to better serve our current and future clients.”
Shawn Severn “That’s easy. To attract and nurture the best in our industry and give them the creative environment and resources to meet client’s goals as the demands of their environments evolve.”
Tim Goist “My vision starts with a continued focus on EarthCon helping clients solve environmental challenges with unique business-minded solutions. I love the fact that we have set the foundation for innovation and already developed unique methods and products where patent applications are underway. As we evolve, I anticipate that the culture we've established will attract even more innovative thinkers to our company, and that's very exciting. With that evolution, we are building EarthCon to be THE employer of choice in our industry and THE consulting company clients think of first to help them achieve their business goals and objectives.”
Dave Wade “My vision for EarthCon & Premier Canada is that we evolve into a full service civil engineering firm.”
What changes would you like to see that would continue to set us apart?
Earl Scott “We have to continue to focus on seeing our client’s environmental challenges as essentially business problems. Consequently, we need to approach each project not as a purely science and engineering problem to be solved. We will continue to look for a better solution that is responsive to our client’s ultimate business objectives.”
Shawn Severn “We’ve got a great opportunity to be the employer of choice for our next generation of business-focused professionals. Perhaps the only change would be an increase in efforts to attract and grow these rare professionals as our customers’ challenges evolve.”
Tim Goist “In looking back at what we've learned, we have found that it takes a special person to work at EarthCon. Our way of thinking is a bit cutting edge and different from other consulting firms. As a result, we've undergone a complete makeover in our hiring process, changing the focus to candidates with the unique skills and personality traits that will help them succeed and fit the character of our company. We are not for everyone, but when the “fit” is right, I would venture to say those candidates would not want to work anywhere else. If our Environmental Challenges/Business Solutions tagline resonates with you, we should talk and I will be happy to share what I mean.”
Dave Wade “Looking around the industry it becomes apparent that high quality firms that provide fully integrated services attract large sophisticated clients who in turn provide repeat business. EarthCon is very entrepreneurial and develops solutions and products to serve clients’ evolving needs. It will be crucial as we grow that we don’t lose that unique aspect of our business and continue to attract like minded professionals to join us.”
In terms of moving our company forward, what attributes do you feel potential employees should possess and why?
Earl Scott “We are interested in recruiting and retaining ‘A’ players that will embrace our philosophy of client service. Looking for a better way to solve a problem, even if it means less revenue for the company in the short run, is the kind of professional attributes we are seeking. Personnel dedicated to technical excellence, quality and innovation will find EarthCon to be a great place to work.”
Shawn Severn “Beyond the technical aspects, the key attribute would be a core belief and a commitment in providing quality service as our product. Without that, their credentials are useless in this value-driven marketplace.”
Tim Goist “Potential employees who are strategic thinkers, ethical, scientific yet business-minded, innovative and understand client needs will find EarthCon a great place to succeed and achieve contentment.”
Dave Wade “There are a few attributes that the stellar employees have that others may not have. The ones that will be attracted to us will have an entrepreneurial spirit, an ability to predict the next big thing and turn the idea into reality; and the drive of a risk taker who is never satisfied with the status quo.”
