Many moons ago I worked for a high-profile politician in their press office fielding calls from the media and speaking on her behalf. When I began working there, they already had a very tight-knit team of flaks in place - all huddled together in a small room fielding press calls from around the country.
Stick with me here, I have a point and I promise it is not nostalgia.
One team member was taking over another job and was training me to do their job. She kept anticipating this eventual hand off with a drama and intensity reserved for much more important heads of state. I felt the pressure all the same, but the build-up of this transfer of responsibilities became a running joke among the team. She kept referring to the final moment when she handed me her workload as passing the torch, she'd say 'once we do XYZ, 123, and then I will pass the torch.' She dangled said 'torch' for weeks to the point that other team members just said 'pass the dang torch already to Jill, IT'S TIME!
While this still makes me LOL many years later, in hindsight, I also still get it. When someone takes pride and heart in their work, it's hard to pass that torch. There's also a little bit of control enmeshed in that inability to pass the torch. The flaming torch metaphor originated from the ancient Greeks and is meant to symbolize the transfer of knowledge, leadership and responsibility. Fittingly, those ancient Greeks knew all about drama.
When the barn's assistant carpenter left early last fall for a career pivot, Matt and Shelley posted the job to replace him for a hot minute but then pulled it. Matt opted to work the shop mainly solo in their busiest time of the year - holding off as he mulled over a bigger shift. There's something to be said about waiting (cue the Tom Petty song), as it provides room to think bigger. The plan was to relaunch the search in January.
"What should I put in the job description," I asked Matt in the workshop recently, as I tried to get him to have a conversation he did not want to have.
"It could be as simple as just MATT, just say we are looking for another me," he said, half-joking (I think).
After over a decade of developing and making almost every bit of product that BirchBarn manufactures and sells, the time has come for a transfer of responsibilities. Anyone running a small business knows that the search for a full-time hire to do what the founder has done for many years can be daunting. BirchBarn has been very lucky to have had skilled carpenters to help build out the product line over the years, but Matt has been at the helm at all times, working alongside those employees.
“I used to be a machine in here. I didn't require a lot of help. I was a short order chef making cutting boards as fast and efficiently as possible,” said Matt as he waxed about the years he’s spent building, sanding and creating different products out of wood. “But after many years I'm ready to hire aProduct Manager, so I can focus my attention on custom projects. This new hire will oversee full production of our retail product line. Ideally and eventually he or she will hire other woodworkers that they will supervise.”
Experienced, creative, trouble shooter, methodical, driven - knows the wood; these are just some of the words Matt used to describe his ideal candidate for the Product Manager position.
If you or you know someone interested in grabbing the torch, please send them our way. Click on the Product Manager Job Description for more details on the role.
