The world around us is in constant motion.  People grow.  Transportation improves.  Entertainment expands.

A reflection by our CTO, Tom Altman, highlights some of the technological developments of the last 30 years.

“An interesting thing happened in the mid-1990’s: the public started to get online.  And by the 2000’s, people were starting to buy things.  In 2005 – 2.5% of retail sales were done via online shopping.

Like Clickstop, all things change.  The way we order products and the people we sell to.

Near the year 2000:

• Google was 18 months old.
• There was no such thing as a smart phone.  There was no such thing as an iPod.
• Crazy new video game came out – The Sims.
• Second gen video game console…Sony Playstation 2 with a DVD player.  (This is why most people bought it)
• First camera phone.  Resolution 0.11 meg with 256 colors.  Yes, you could share the images wirelessly.

Now, as consumers, we can say ‘Alexa, buy toothpaste,’ and it’s at our door in hours.  We expect that level of speed and service, and the expectations are continuing to grow.”

So, what does this teach us?  Things change.

What does that mean for Clickstop?  For the products we sell?  For our customers?

We don’t know.  But as Mark Evanier stated, “Curiosity is the clay from which knowledge is formed.”

Curiosity will lead us to discover new and exciting opportunities.  It will cause us to question existing methods, staying flexible in our approach and findings.

This is the process of learning and improving to contribute at higher levels.

A Curious Approach

Our Q1 “Curious” Award Winner, Colton Radford is known as a thoughtful learner.

Colton’s willingness to ask questions and seek more information gives him a different perspective, and he is courageous in sharing it.

The team seeks Colton’s opinion because they know his contribution will add value and that he has thought critically about alternative solutions: always offering more, taking on bigger challenges, and seeking to understand every part of a project or business in order to develop a greater result.

As a copywriter and editor, he has grown his impact beyond the content on the page.

He had an interest in making his writing more effective by learning and focusing on SEO, so he took the initiative to work with internal experts to learn how we do it at Clickstop.  He also took time outside of work to read books and articles on the subject simply because he was interested.

Now, as he embarks on learning a brand new role in PPC, his curiosity is in full swing and we can’t wait to see what he learns and teaches us next!  Well done, Colton!

The Interview

What is your role at Clickstop?

Digital Marketing Strategist

How long have you worked at Clickstop?

1-1/2 years

How did you feel upon being recognized for this award?

Surprised, honored, and proud. It’s kind of been a goal of mine since I started at Clickstop, so it felt awesome to reach that goal.

What do you believe has led up to this recognition? (What behaviors have you demonstrated?)

I like to be involved in a lot of different projects and not be boxed into one type of task. Learning something new that I don’t understand is one of the most satisfying things to me (Learner is one of my top strengths) and I try to utilize all the smart people around me to learn quickly and effectively. I’m also notorious for playing devil’s advocate and enjoy getting all possible solutions out on the table and then having constructive debate about which is the best choice for a given situation.

Have you had struggles within this Core Trait?  If so, what have they been and how did you overcome them?

To be curious you definitely can’t be afraid to speak up and challenge existing methods and ideas. This is something that I have not been the best at in the past but have become more and more comfortable with since working at Clickstop. The more I did it, the more I realized I had nothing but support from my leaders and appreciation from co-workers for challenging ideas, trying new things, and figuring out how we can get to the best solution together.

Why is this Core Trait important to the success of Clickstop?

It keeps us on our toes and guides us in making the best decisions for Clickstop while also opening the door to new possibilities that we may have never considered. Clickstop is full of smart, innovative people and supporting an environment of curiosity allows us all to reach our full potential and make impact in new and exciting ways.

What can we find you doing when you’re not at work?

Riding motorcycles, playing disc golf, or reading something non-fiction.

What brought you to Clickstop?

I used to work at RSM Tax with our singing and dancing CFO, Chad, and actually helped with the processing and filing of Clickstop’s taxes for a few years (I didn’t do the numbers part, just the processing and e-filing). I knew I wanted to get into a marketing role and was keeping my eyes open for opportunity. A few months after Chad transitioned to Clickstop, I saw postings for Leverage jobs and decided to check out what all the excitement at Clickstop was about.

What keeps you at Clickstop?

The fun and caring people and the awesome environment, plus the opportunity to grow and continually build upon what we have here at Clickstop.

What TV / Netflix Show currently has your attention?

I just finished the Netflix mini-series “Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G.”

What’s a movie you can practically quote from start to finish? (Give us a quote)

Ace Ventura Pet Detective – “Hey, maybe I’ll give you a call sometime. Your number still 911? Allllllrighty then.”

Do you spend time researching your ancestry?  If so, why?

What hobby would you get into if time and money weren’t an issue?

Flying airplanes