Periodically, I’m reminded of the time I spent in Seattle right out of college. Some of it was with an 84-year old guy named Whitey who was a regular at our neighborhood pub. He was full of stories ranging from his experiences as a WWII POW after his bomber was shot down over Asia, to insights like, “Love what you do and find a way to make it work.” He shared the latter insight the day before he left for Wenatchee to pick the fall apple crop. At 84, climbing a rickety ladder to pick apples outdoors was still his favorite part-time gig.
I recently thought of Whitey when we were selected among the 2019 Best Places to Work in Idaho. Jill, my business partner, and I often reflect on how much we both love coming to work each day–so much so that we don’t really consider our jobs work. It’s a passion that permeates our nearly every waking hour.
When she and I interview potential new team members, we look for that same passion, that sparkle in their eyes. We call it the “it” factor which takes all of two seconds to identify. And I can say with confidence that every person who works at DW has “it.” Like Jill and me, they love what they do.
So, when DW was selected among the 2019 Best Places to Work in Idaho, our gazes swung to our team. Sure, we have some pretty cool employee perks at DW. But we suspect what really inspired the agency’s acknowledgment was the inherent sparkle in our team’s eyes, their desire to do great work. They’re the people who help us win business, challenge convention and surprise us with new ideas. Really, they’re the people who make coming to work every day so enjoyable. Being among the 2019 Best Places to Work is a reflection of them.