Part 2 with Misty Mayes of Management Solutions

**Misty Mayes** (0:01)
I thought, you know what, it's not an option, it's just how hard do I want to work to build it back? And so, you know, within 20 minutes, I was back on the books, writing down a game plan. I mean, on that Sunday night, I couldn't even sleep. I was so excited. I was like, on Monday, man, the phone's gonna start, I'm smiling and down, I'm calling them, I'm doing whatever. And I literally, that year, I went on the road for 70% of the time. And I just went to every customer, and I knocked on the door, and I said, here's what we can do, give me an opportunity, and it paid off.

**Paul Sponcia** (0:35)
From the IT Company, it's Made Right Here, the stories of East Tennessee founders, creators, and builders. From the idea behind it, to the impact it had on the community, their employees, and their personal lives, we're taking you behind the scenes of the movements they built. Hey there, and welcome back to part two of my talk with Misty Mayes, CEO and founder of Management Solutions.
This time, we get to listen in a little bit about her professional career, and again, some more influences, and just awesome lessons of what Misty has learned as she's built a business while being a mom, and a wife, and all the other things that go into just being any kind of leader. So, here we go.

**Misty Mayes** (1:16)
I think probably as most entrepreneurs, you've got a vision, but you don't really know how your company's gonna grow every step of the way. And so, when I started, my vision was small, three to five people, and we'd be kind of a specialty niche firm. And I had a customer early on that we were growing with, and he came to me and said, Hey Misty, here's the deal. I know you wanna keep it small, but we need more help. And if you don't wanna grow, and we have to go get another vendor, then eventually my contracting department is gonna say, why do we have two vendors? Let's just use the big one.
And so, that was a big fence post on having to grow. And I say all that to say, you evolved through the years. And for us, we got to a point where we've got a corporate headquarters, we've got multiple offices.
I talked early on about, as an entrepreneur and an owner, I feel the weight of not just the employee, but the family from a financial standpoint. And so, 2008 crisis happens, doesn't impact us initially, but 2009 and 10 it did. And a lot of our work was delayed and redirected whatever.
And so, we actually shrunk to 50% of our previous work, our previous staff. I had bills that had to be paid. I had the staff that stayed around a lot of it was there, was almost on overhead, more the administrative support role. A lot of the direct bill work had been gone, had gone. And so, it was just, I can just remember at that point that I had people, several people messaging me saying, why don't you just get out? I'll hire you. You can be this executive for me. Let's do whatever. You know, a lot of people said, get out, quit. You're working so hard, quit doing it.
It just wasn't even an option for me. I mean, I literally, I could remember, and I'm not big on looking back. I mean, people will tell you that, I mean, my husband calls me Pollyanna, but I just think, you know, when you make mistakes, some people get so caught up in what it could have, should have, I always say they should have all over themselves instead of saying, you know, acknowledge the mistake, learn from it and move on. So I rarely look back, but, you know, I've been in the office that day and one of my folks was like, you know, we're down to 50% of what we were and here's what our billings are gonna be and here's, you know, whatever.
And I got in the car and I was driving home and I can literally remember being completely overwhelmed going, is this it? I mean, is the company gonna be bankrupt? And I was, that to me was so foreign to even hear myself think it because I'm sure that's what that executive was telling me is, are we there? And so I literally thought, I can't even believe I'm asking myself that question. And literally that quickly, it went away. I came home, this was a Friday afternoon, this is where my husband says, you never unwind.