Page 49 - FDI Alliance International Magazine Summer 2020 Digital Interactive Issue

One advantage that Interapt had prior to date, and the value was not there in our virtual
COVID was that a high number of employees training as the Goal Station experience is highly
had been working remotely for years. Many influenced up by the in-person environment.”
people that had come on board from prior
training programs in economically depressed Hall-Volpenhein continues, “COVID made
areas where they were able to continue working us become adaptable, creative, and resilient.
remotely and stay in their homes. The company COVID impacted the way we viewed our business
also expanded their hiring nationally during the at a microscopic level - varying membership
pandemic as more and more tech workers lost options, the most affordable pricing, better terms
their jobs. for us, etc.”

“Transforming HR and collaboration in a world After the first month when clients began cancelling
of virtual connectivity is what we did well, and and pausing memberships, in addition to not
now we have employees in 30 states and our receiving any financial support, the company had
productivity sits higher than ever. Lead your teams to take a long hard look at their business model
through the crisis, and unleash the creative power and adjust to how things were daily changing
that exists with you when your back is against the around them. They quickly shifted their focus to
wall,” Gopal exalts. what could be done to combat bleeding money
during this challenging time and how they could
When asked what advice he would give to other best prepare for a reopening post-COVID.
small businesses dealing with COVID impacts,
he states, “Maintain what Simon Sinek calls Once government restrictions were eased to
’an infinite mindset.’ The leaders who embrace allow small groups to gather but still not allowing
CHAMPIONS OF CHANGE - TACTICAL an infinite mindset, in stark build stronger, more large team gatherings, the Futbox team changed
innovative, more inspiring organizations. Their their tactics. Hall-Volpenhein explains this tactical
ANALYSIS OF WINNING TEAMS DURING people trust each other and their leaders. They shift: “Being in our first year of business and
consistently working to be known and gain leads,
have the resilience to thrive in an ever-changing world,
while their competitors fall by the wayside.” COVID has presented us a serious head start.
COVID19 Players were not allowed to participate in normal
He continues, “I know these are not easy times, trainings or games with their club, school, etc.
As I watch the UEFA Champions League soccer/ the other hand, poor tactical awareness or the in areas not typically thought of as tech hubs. and it’s easy to wax poetic about pivoting or being Goal Station has filled the void of no playing or
football matches this past week, it becomes inability to shift direction of the company in an With their worldwide headquarters recently creative. But the fact is that business leaders must team practices for players. While our mission is
obvious that tactics implemented by the club’s ever-changing world can lead to financial ruin announced in the historic Glassworks Building find ways to do so, or fall by the wayside. It must greater than this, COVID has provided us the
coaching staffs are the key to their team’s survival and bankruptcy. in downtown Louisville, Ankur and his team were be done, and I suggest reaching out to those that opportunity to be discovered, train new players,
in the knock-out phases of the tournament. From ready to take the next steps in their business plan. have done it, or to mentors and trusted advisors and train more often.”
brilliant strategies implemented by underdogs RB In the modern world of COVID, business winners Then, everything changed. who can help find creative solutions to finance,
Leipzig and Olympique Lyonnais coaching staffs and losers are being determined on a daily basis. human resources, or business problems.” In the near future, the FutBox team is aiming
to the overthought calamities by Manchester Every day, we are seeing businesses that have Traditionally, tech companies like Interapt have to grow their business at the grassroots level
City’s Pep Guardiola and Atletico Madrid’s chosen the wrong tactics and, as a result, are a central gathering place or office to bring Like Ankur, BJ Hall-Volpenhein is a small business while continuing the mission to change the local
Diego Simeone, winners and losers in must- filing for bankruptcy and disappearing from our problem solvers, designers and technical staff entrepreneur that strives for brighter days for his culture of personal player development, where
win matches are often determined by subtle but local communities and main streets. According together to tackle all issues that they face in their company even through the dark days of the players are exposed to professional level training,
confident directions given by the ones in charge. to the business tracking app Yelp, over 70,000 current projects. The company has always been pandemic. at an affordable price, and all at the tap of button
Being a long-time mitglied/member of the businesses across the United States of America famous for their family-like atmosphere where through the company’s mobile app.
German club FC Bayern München, I have seen have closed from March 1st – July 10th, 2020 office doors are always open with young, staff Football has always been in Hall-Volpenhein’s
first-hand what a difference in tactics can do to due to the impacts of COVID on the economy. working hours that fit best with their social life blood. From coaching college teams to When asked what advice would Hall-Volpenhein
transform opportunities for a football team in Small businesses and restaurants have been the and tech-driven lifestyle. But once COVID hit, refereeing Major League Soccer matches, give other small businesses dealing with COVID
terms of winning and losing. With the start of hardest hit by the closures but no industry sector the office life was jettisoned and a new reality BJ lives and breathes football all day, impacts, BJ stated “Stop complaining about
the 2019/2020 season, Bayern were lifeless is immune from the impacts of this pandemic. It of Google Meet meetings dominated the daily every day. This passion for the beautiful game problems. Problems are the definition of business.
under the direction of Nico Kovač and fell into is hard to find bright lights in the dreary scenes of schedule. developed Hall-Volpenhein into an entrepreneur The people who do best in business are not the
seventh place as winter approached. After a this pandemic but I want to highlight two leaders and starting the Lexington, Kentucky based ones with the least amount of problems, they are
hasty coaching change, Hansi Flick was named I have found who chose the right tactics to lead When asked how COVID has impacted his franchise of Goal Station FutBox, a national the people who solve their problems better.” BRAD THOMAS
the new manager and Bayern München were their teams to opportunities to survive now and to business, Ankur stated, “We didn’t know what football skill development company tailored to ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
quickly back to their winning ways with a change thrive post-COVID. to expect, as everyone else. Should we hunker creating the next superstar ready for success on Tactics and dealing with adversity are the keys Kentucky’s Touchstone Energy
in attitude and tactics. These tactical changes by down? Or double down? We chose to double the pitch in 2019. Being a newly created business, to success whether in business or on the field Cooperatives
Flick were obvious immediately and led the club Ankur Gopal is the founder and CEO of Interapt, down and find creative ways to keep our FutBox hit the ground running with hundreds of of play. Witnessing great tactical moves like the
to a record winning streak with two trophies in LLC, a software development and training employees in their jobs. It caused uncertainty youth participating daily in specialized positional ones taken by Ankur and BJ are truly worthy of
hand so far this season. The quest for the third company based in Louisville, Kentucky. Interapt for our employees, so we had to show grace training and conditioning programs at their one- analysis to see if these can be replicated by others 4775 Lexington Road 40391
elusive prize, the UEFA Champions League Title has survived many fluctuations in the tech sector and think creatively for our employees working of-a-kind football tailored facility. in similar situations. P.O. Box 707
is within reach after a lopsided 8-2 win over the over the last decade but nothing could have from home, with their kids, with another spouse Winchester, KY 40392-0707
once invincible Lionel Messi and Barcelona. prepared Gopal for what was coming down the working...and sometimes in close quarters.” But then COVID hit. With its spread, mandatory As I prepare to watch my FC Bayern München
pipe. Prior to COVID and its impacts, Interapt rules were implemented by the government team potentially hoist their sixth UEFA Champions
Leadership and coaching are not exclusive to was providing custom technology solutions for He went on to describe how they have handled prohibiting face-to-face trainings. BJ and his League Trophy, I understand that talent is crucial Tel. 859 595 6251
the pitch or sporting world. Every day in the companies from web and mobile applications. their day-to-day operations, “Some obvious team were hit hard. He describes the situation to success. But I also appreciate the tactical
business world, company leaders implement Ankur and his team in recent years have evolved changes include Zoom meetings, slack, daily this way, “As the shutdown hit, we were fortunate leadership of the club to right the ship after a Brad.Thomas@EKPC.coop
strategies that lead to wins and losses in the their business plan to develop custom training and weekly check ins. But we’ve also done other during the first 30 days that only a handful of rough start and steer the team towards another
financial columns. These tactics can transform programs in economically distressed regions. things, like buying dinners for our team members clients cancelled or paused their memberships. championship. As I crack open a Paulaner right
the trajectory of the company and can create The goal of the training programs is to fill the at home. Doing virtual coffees and happy hours Things quickly shifted after the first 30 days of at kick-off, I get excited to see which team will get www.DataIsPower.org
opportunities that would not be available without rising tech talent gap by developing a new to blow off steam and talk about life.” shutdown; clients began to feel the financial their tactics right and who will ultimately win the
otherwise these changes by leadership. But on generation of talented software developers impact, there was not a foreseeable re-open title.
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