Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jeremiah Shirk. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Jeremiah, so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?
I was born with a mild case of Cerebral Palsy that effects how I ambulate around the world so when my friends would climb a tree or make their way up onto a roof of some sort I had to find another path to get there. It wasn’t just jumping off the ground or scaling the tree the same way they did. Those were early lessons in resiliency and optimism that laid the foundation for the opportunity around. That’s not to say I did it all myself, because I had a great support system(s) of parents, siblings, grandparents, teachers and coaches that were available when I became discouraged.
Over the years, this “always find a way” has allowed me to hone that skill in ways I never thought possible throughout my career and led me to taking jobs I had no prior experience but gained success each and every time. And now I own a consulting firm where we bring clarity to chaos and find a way to help our clients reach their goals even if it’s not the path they initially anticipated.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Personally, I was raised in small town USA – in Atlanta, Indiana to be specific. I have been blessed with an incredible career in college athletics, large scale event planning, municipal government, and leadership. I have been surrounded by incredibly talented individuals that I’ve learned from and even built my business Showpiece Solutions based on some of those lessons. I enjoy the hard work, the impossible work, the kind of work that people don’t want to touch. I enjoy finding a way to reaching the goal, and brining people along that path of growth, inspiration. I’m not sure there is a bigger thrill than helping a client reach their goals or helping a colleague take the next giant step in their career. Both are extremely fulfilling to me, and that creates a positive impact ripple throughout the community.
Professionally, I’m the Founder and CEO of Showpiece Solutions, a firm that solves complex organizational and operational challenges. I’m also who some refer to as the UnConsultant.
What exactly do I and my firm do?
We make complicated – simple. We bring expertise and clarity to confusion & disfunction, questioning the existing conditions in which current problems thrive. Where others are complex & inefficient, we bring clarity & efficiency.
We make the unimaginable – attainable.
We will turn ideas on their head in an effort to solve problems in an actionable way that defies other traditional methods and take up precious resources & time.
We are not afraid of failure.
Rather, we embrace it as an integral part of the process. Identifying failures, using unconventional methods and arriving at unique solutions are what makes us an unconventional orchestrator of encore results.
We deliver encore results.
Our team uses data to inform decisions, ensuring impressive results through attention to detail. We insist on engaging with the problem head on, ensuring the problems solved are the right ones.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Leadership/Mentorship
In a past life I was a college basketball coach. In that time I had to learn how to get our team to buy into our vision, push them to improve individually & collectively, understand what success looked like for each one of them and build an environment where they could excel. The greatest leaders are the greatest teachers. I believe that to my core.
Critical thinking
Respectfully challenge the status quo, and continue to search for new data as the environment around what you’re doing changes. There might be a better way…that doesn’t always mean the new way is a better way, so challenge those assumptions so you don’t advocate for change without pressure testing the ideas.
Communication
Learn how to listen, write, & speak to every person you encounter in work and life. You will learn what’s important to them, how you might be helpful, and then be able to speak a vision that brings them along & helps them reach their goals simultaneously.
Advice:
Mark Miles the President & CEO of Penske Entertainment Corp once told me “Take the job that scares you to death”
If you do that you will be forced to learn every day and you will work on the three areas I outlined above.
Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
An organization that is willing to be completely transparent and candid with their goals & objectives but as equally candid with their challenges and warts (as of today).
A firm that appreciates candor and transparency from our side of the relationship as well. If you don’t want the truth, why are we engaging?
This is a firm that will lift up the hood, let us see inside the inner workings, and build an actionable plan that can be executed with the appropriate resources to get them where they want to go.
I am also not gonna be super upset if this ideal client will enjoy a little laughter along the way. It’s the only way we can work and have a lasting impact on your organization!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.showpiecesolutions.com
- Instagram: @jshirkindy
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/showpiecesolutions/?viewAsMember=true
Image Credits
Aly Marotte Photography
