Company: 1-800-got-junk?
Title: Regional marketing manager
Length of time in current position: 8 months
Total time at company: 8 months
His last name says it all. Malcolm Smillie is always smiling. After spending most of his career in sales and marketing positions at various companies — including a stint in insurance — the 47-year-old still hadn”t found quite the right fit. Then he discovered Vancouver-based junk-removal company 1-800-GOT-JUNK? — and he hasn”t looked back since. An avid runner with a keen sense of humour and a thick brogue, Smillie, who was born in Dundoon, Scotland, but came to Canada in 1990, says he”s finally found a place where he can be himself. “I can use my talents, my expertise, but also let my character come through,” he says. “There”s no facade here.”
Gone is what Smillie refers to as the “secret
service” approach to communication that he experienced in previous jobs. It has been replaced with an open-door, non-hierarchical system that he credits with making him more motivated to perform.
Turns out Smillie”s love for life — and his job — are infectious, too. He regularly leads the company”s popular morning “huddle” — an eight-minute, all-staff meeting intended to get everyone pumped up — and prepared — for the day ahead. It”s a win-win situation for all parties involved: employees are more equipped to handle their day-to-day assignments and managers can feel confident knowing their staff have everything they need to get the job done. And after jumping from job to job, as far as Smillie”s now concerned, he”ll be with 1-800-GOT-JUNK? for the long haul.
