Recently, we brought Gerard Barbalich into the Timely team as an intern within the Business Development crew.

A letter from Gerard: Insights from my internship at Timely

 It was great to have Gerard’s experience and determination for the few weeks he was with us, and it was awesome to be able to share what we do at Timely with him too. As his internship came to an end, Gerard wrote us a letter about some of the things he learned while with us.

This is that letter.

I’ve learnt some things in the past six weeks working with Timely. During this time, I have worked with an exceptional team and gained some insight on what makes the team behind Timely work so well. And they are working well; in fact they are thriving, gathering speed at a pace that would make a rocket ship envious.

I wanted to gather some insights that all businesses can use, illustrated by those connected to Timely. There are only four, so it won’t take long.

1. Give people their time

Ever heard of someone who liked working for an overlord? Me neither.

Timely runs with trust at its heart. The team is scattered around New Zealand and the world, working from wherever they can plug in their computers. If I want to step out for a smoko, stretch out for a run, or wade out for a surf, that time is mine.

Many of the team have young children to bathe, nap, or feed throughout the day, and the flexibility – but more importantly the trust placed in them – is invaluable.

Sure, the Timely team is unique – staff in a salon or dental reception can’t work remotely, or waltz through the door whenever they please – but every boss can afford to place more trust in their team. Speaking from experience, it makes them feel uniquely valued.

2. Work with passionate people

Hire those who are keen, kind, and passionate. These are skills that can’t be taught; everything else can be.

3. Teach, and let your staff learn by doing

“Fake it till you make it” is now dangerous – most of all for the young, which I count myself among. We young people are nervous. Jobs are harder to come by, so we often cling to them for dear life. We feel we must impress, but not be caught out. We must balance confidence with humility, helpfulness with peskiness, and we often get it wrong.

So when you find passionate people, please be patient, and please be generous with your advice.

4. Don’t take it too seriously

Finally and simply: building a business is hard work, but it doesn’t have to only be hard work.

I would like to truly thank Timely for taking me under their wing and teaching me valuable lessons about teamwork.

 

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