Episode 17: Today, Stephen Marks, Board Member, interviews Elaine Gravatte on the subject of Leading a Global Small Business from a CEOs Perspective. You may remember Steve Marks from Episode 5. He’s the Senior Vice President of Supply Chain for Givaudan. He actually used to be one Elaine’s direct reports. International business is definitely not for the faint of heart.
Meet Elaine
Elaine is the former CEO of DDW, The Color House and recently retired as Divisional President for Givaudan Sense Colour. Prior to the acquisition by Givaudan, DDW was already a supplier to Coca-Coal, PepsiCo, Nestlé, Kraft Unilever and others from right here in Louisville. The company produces natural colors that are then utilized in the products those brands use as ingredients.
The company manufactures at multiple sites around the world. Elaine started with DDW 25 years ago, in an HR-leadership capacity. The business was generating less than $40 million in sales. Her career path grew to include sales and operations responsibility. She spent the last 10 years with DDW as its president and CEO. DDW had grown to almost $200 million in sales. After the acquisition by Givaudan, she finished her career as the Division President.
International Business Isn’t for the Faint of Heart
Steve comments on the need to be ready to deal with the challenges of doing business internationally. Beyond the different time zones, there are currency exchanges, different languages, cultural variances and more.
When Elaine started with DDW in 2000, she admits she didn’t even have a passport. She was born and raised in Kentucky. She attended UK and later went to Vanderbilt for her graduate degree. While the aspect of getting involved in international business sounded exciting, she didn’t know how to make an international phone call, at the time.
DDW had locations in Ireland and a relatively new location in China. It took them about 5 years to really gauge the viability of the China facility, given the vastly different cultures and the distance. The company had a new operation in Swaziland (Eswatini), Africa. They were preparing to open a new location in Manaus, Brazil. This expansion was new to both DDW and Elaine. It was an exciting time.
Steve and Elaine discuss the benefit of international travel in how it impacts one’s perspective on the world and business.
Success and Failures Along the Way
Elaine shares how she viewed success in opening those new locations and meeting the challenges of figuring out the local culture. It’s also an opportunity to introduce her company’s culture to the region. It’s a balance, focused on the common values and purpose shared with those who are working for the new operation, in-country.
Elaine’s HR background was a definite advantage. She comments how people have the same core needs around the world. They want to be appreciated. They value the opportunity to develop their skills and careers. They want you to care about who they are as individuals, and even to learn about their families. DDW excelled at this aspect of the business and it helped them to manage the performance of the business units, effectively.
There were, of course, a few failures. In China, the regulatory environment was challenging. She shares a situation in which they contracted with a company to manage the wastewater. They didn’t perform enough due diligence on the contractor regarding its ability to interpret the Chinese regulations. It was a painful failure. The facility was temporarily closed pending resolution of the problems they encountered. Luckily, they were able to shift production to various other countries to minimize operational disruptions. She admits, the entire episode was not only painful, but scary and it led to many long hours. The 12-hour time difference played a significant role in the situation.
Crazy Stories Come with the Journey
Steve asks Elaine to describe a crazy story she encountered along the way. She chose to recount a particular night in Africa. That night, the entire team (locals and US) went to dinner. After dinner, they asked if Elaine would like to try the local drink. You’ll have to listen to the audio to learn what happened!
Elaine Describes a Significant Accomplishment
Steve asks Elaine to describe something she’s extremely proud of, in her career. She goes on to describe how proud she is of the team of people they built. It remains a team of talented, smart and caring people. Some of them have been there 30+ years. The regional people who are serving as a bridge between the company’s culture and the local cultures. She credits the team around her for some the remarkable successes the business achieved. The customers they served were incredibly demanding and Elaine’s team evolved into one of the best suppliers in the industry.
Elaine also comments on the impact the company wanted to make in the local communities in which it operates. It's an important aspect of international business. The objective was to go beyond simply proving jobs. It’s a special aspect of their corporate culture.
Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), is a small monarchy in southern Africa. It had the highest HIV-rate in the world. The number of orphaned children was staggering. One of the company’s philosophies is to give back, where you live and work. They made sure that every location had a philanthropic cause enabling the team to dedicate funding and time to, on a consistent basis. The local associates select the cause they want to support. As a result, in Eswatini, they build a home specifically for HIV-orphaned children. It was a means of providing a path to a future many of the children would not have otherwise had.
What’s Next for Elaine?
Elaine is transitioning into a role. Her new company is an executive coaching and consulting firm called, The Leader’s Dance, LLC. She’s motivated to share what she’s learned with other C-suite leaders. The name of the company is related to the need to balance leading a company and those responsibilities, while keeping your whole life in balance. Elaine’s a mom who raised a family during her career. She credits both her family and the company for having been very supportive of her and her balancing of the various responsibilities. She’s honest in admitting it’s tough to do all of the things well, all of the time.
To Contact Elaine Gravatte:
Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elaine-gravatte-9213342/
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