record_id: 30af8b3e-f83d-8116-a1b3-c66d06f79273
created_time: 2026-02-17T00:17:00.000Z
title: 02-11 Interview: Braden McLeish - Plant Director
source_url: /

[TRANSCRIPTION]
00:06:55
This is Braden?
00:06:57
Hey Braden, I am so sorry. This is Heather Gipfido calling from Home Chef. How are you?
00:07:01
I am doing well, doing well. Um,
00:07:04
I was extending an offer and he had a lot of questions, which is totally okay. Um, um but yeah, Just went a little bit over, so I am, so sorry I am a little bit late here.
00:07:15
No you are you are totally fine. I started looking at it's like, well, you know what? Maybe I didn't, did i not confirm something. And soum. All good, all good.
00:07:26
Well, our call todayum be a little bit more informational than evaluative. Just want to go over the business and the role and a couple high level questions. Just ultimately make sure we align on what you're looking for in your next role.
00:07:39
Sounds great. How can I. 
00:07:41
Uh And then yeah uh As you know, my name is Heather. I'm a recruiter here. I work at our corporate office in Chicago. Um If you were to work with us. You know, you and I would partner on all of your salaried roles, And then we do have on site recruiters in HR to or like a lot of hourly population.
00:08:03
Great, okay.
00:08:06
To get us kicked off though, I'd love to hear what you already know about Home Chef, and I will fill in the blanks.
00:08:13
So I got a crash course from it last night on some levels, because as I was looking at it. Well, I was out. You know, I was reviewing it. It's like okay, I get it. I get it. And then my wife goes, "You know we used to do this right?" And go no way So she ended up taking us taking me through. I guess we personally use you guys. I don't know several years ago back before, you know, when we were just kind of first starting to have kids, she was staying home, all that good fun stuff. And.
00:08:48
And so, um, I know that you guys, um, So I know that you guys are essentially preparing preparing meals for uh people with on the go lifestyles. And uh you've made it into retail. Um and so um So you guys are in grocery stores, Ralph's and and uh and then also delivering. Um I spent a little bit of time on your guys' website last night. You know it looks like you these are now uh a part of, Um, tailoring kind of meal plans and or meal styles, I should say food styles and and whatnot towards the individual. Andum, Sounds sounds great from a, you know, from a guy that has uh three boys in club soccer and is always on the go. And uh, I go you know maybe we need to rethink this thing. Yeah,
00:09:40
Yeah, if you end up working with us, we get forty five percent off on the uh meal kits. Oh wowum, Yeah, so thanks for doing your research. So, mostly known for what we do in our e-commerce space since two thousand thirteen. Um, we were acquired by Kroger in two thousand and eighteen. Okay. Retail presence is definitely what sets us apart, but I will say everything at our facility is all on the e-commerce side. Kroger really kind of manages that retail side of things. So I really kind of see them as more of a like stakeholder. Okay. 
00:10:17
Um, and then we have a new ready to heat line. So you know, Home Chef is what we call the core side of the business. Uh, we give you the ingredients, give you a recipe card, and you cook it. And then about October twenty twenty three we launched Tempo Tempo pre cooked food. Yeah, in a sealed tray that you pop in the microwave. Fifty percent of people entering the meal kit space are looking for something ready to heat. And we actually built a, Like a commercial kitchen for this at the plant as well.
00:10:48
Oh, wow. Okay.
00:10:51
Um, So basically like the way it works is the plant director and all the department heads really kind of oversee both, and then each line has its own superintendents supervisors, team leads and associates.
00:11:09
Right. How many lines? I don't want to, you know. I am trying to, you know, I am trying not to jump and asking ask questions too early because I do want to get that overview and whatnot. But. But what what fascinates me is just the ability to be able to do all of theseum different meals, essentially at the same time and then package them all together. Um how yeah how many lines do you guys have going?
00:11:37
I have no idea. That's a that's a fair question.
00:11:42
But the person you'll be talking to next, he was our director of continuous improvement, and then he was a plant director for about two years. And then more recently promoted to senior director of pump shop ops. And now all the plant directors report into him. So he'll definitely have all of that insight. I am actually um I hate to admit this, but I am a big violator of, GMPs, you know, Like and so I can count on one hand, how many times I've been out to a production floor.
00:12:19
No, that's that's that's okay. That's okay. I mean, you know, there is there is uh we've all got our ways, and so that's that's perfectly fine.
00:12:28
Um good question though.
00:12:31
Um can I askum why the role is currently open? Is it because this this uh can I ask what his name is? Just so I am not saying this guy.
00:12:44
Uh, the hiring manager on the role?
00:12:47
Correct, you said senior director. Yeah,
00:12:48
John Cloos. Yes, um, John Cloos that's C L O O S.
00:12:56
So now. 
00:12:58
Did he get promoted into this senior director? And now this role is open for that reason? Or is there another reason why the position's open?
00:13:07
Yeah, so this is a backfill he was, Here in Chicago, We ended up backfilling him with our one of our engineering managers here in Chicago. This one in California is open. Um, Josie, you know she was with us for like ten years. Um, she came from like our planning procurement team. Um, I think she's just taking some time off. She was with the company for a very long time. Um and yeah I I. 
00:13:38
What I was told is just more for personal reasons.
00:13:43
That, yeah, that's totally fine. I ask these kinds of questions just to start kind of wrapping my head around like, okay, where is the culture currently at? What's going on? What, are they trying to, you know, not only are what are they trying to tackle from a operational side of it, but the more I understand what's currently going on, you can also. Understand what voids might be might need to be also filled, And so I am just kind of poking and prodding to frame my mindset on, you know, what's necessary in order to be successful.
00:14:22
Totally, I actually had asked John like one of the biggest opportunities here for improvement in leadership, And he told me he's like there is really nothing to come in and fix. This is our facility that doesn't have a ton of turnover. Um, so really just looking for somebody to come in and like achieve the upside, continue to set the bar. Um, this role is really about like leading the entire plant end to end. So not just production but like people culture and the results. So really setting the tone for how the site runs day to day and how it grows over time. So. 
00:15:05
You would be leading a full leadership team across production, warehouse, maintenance, continuous improvement and safety. So all the department heads are reporting to you except for FSQA. Fsqa reports into an FSQA director, but they kind of would dotted line into you. And, it's really about making sure everyone is aligned around getting meals out on time, safely at the right quality every single day. Outside of like coaching, developing your managers, we're really looking for somebody to like influence the broader team of associates. Between hourly and salary, there is about four hundred and eighty people on site, and we really want them to feel you know supported, accountable but also like connected with the bigger picture. Right. And then an execution standpoint you know managing KPIs financial performance understanding cost drivers.
00:16:03
Anticipating risk, adjusting quickly, and super cross functional with corporate teams, especially continuous improvement rolling out new tools, systems, and ways of working. That's my high level POV of the role.
00:16:17
Sure sure no no that's okay. How autonomous is each plant? It sounds like they're almost completely autonomous, just basically saying, hey here are your borders? Don't pass them what we're talking to corporate.
00:16:33
Yeah, It's funny that you say that or ask that because when I had met with John in this role, He said, he's like this plant director has the most autonomy out of all of by the way, we have four total facilities. We have that one here in Chicago, Baltimore, Atlanta, and then San Bernardino. So this plant director has the most autonomy does less travel. This facility has less visitors.
00:17:01
So, it's funny you ask me that, but what does that look like actually? I am not sure, but that is what I do know.
00:17:10
That's okay. That's okay. The uh the last manufacturing plant that I ran, I was I was the opposite. I mean, I had the autonomy, but uh. I was in Southern California and corporate was in Southern California. So guess who got to go get all the visits? Or the uh, hey I, just wanted to check this out or. Um, hey, we're we're entering into a new relationship with a bank. Can I show them around? Um, so I I uh. Yeah. I get that side of it, But then also it's like okay, you know, plan operations are over there and and corporates elsewhere. Let us know when you need when you need some money to uh upgrade things. And outside of that, just make sure that you're uh you're hitting all those numbers.
00:17:49
Yeah yeah yeah tell me about your experienceum. 
00:17:57
Yeah, high level sign with me. I just love to hear about it, especially. Yeah, just tell me about it.
00:18:04
Sure, sure. Um, So I'd say my experience that most aligns with withum with Home, Chef is would be essentially my my time at ReconSurf. Um, I was I started over there as a transportation manager. I started out inum transportation, Um, That's where I got all my logistics and warehouse management and all that good fun stuff. And i I was never quite fulfilled with transportation, and I love the little spinny things. Um, so so i uh I convinced my boss, who was the general manager at the time, to teach me how the plant worked. And and then kind of just uh from there, I ended up partnering with with maintenance and saying okay you know. 
00:18:54
Honestly, my boss at the time was a little bit checked out. So, he said, "Hey, if you want to do it, just go for it." And so I just started. You know, I paired up with maintenance and started walking around going, "What's this do? What's that do? What's the other thing do? Why don't we do this?" And whatnot. And all of a sudden he and I had a great partnership. And we were able to take you know the oldest plant at the time. I think when we when I started, we were doing like twenty five tons an hour. It was recycling bakery waste, so Recanserve was interesting because we would recycle bakery waste. So, bringing them from the largest bakeries Mission Foods, Bimbo, Frito Lay and all of their waste, we would have containment systems that we would design and install at their facilities. And, then we had a fleet of trucks that would go and pick up these.
00:19:52
Products from them, then we would turn it into an ingredient for animal feed. Um, and so you had to manage. You actually, you know, it's different from from most um you know most pull systems if you will. You know your your inventory management is actually fluctuating constantly because you are limited or or not limited at all by the amount of material that's coming in because you don't get to pick and choose how much is coming in. So, if your sales on the opposite side aren't aligned well, then you can be overwhelmed or underwhelmed. And so you are constantly adjusting for those aspects. But when I started, we were doing about twenty five tons an hour. Our high point was about fifty tons an hour. We got it down to forty tons an hour, just basically by understanding the system. And then.
00:20:45
I am starting to develop KPIs like what what is a good product. I got with sales and said, "Hey, what do you guys want to see?" Because at the time there was they said, "Hey, This is kind of your so eventually, by the way, I should notice note that my manager moved on. They promoted me. I think I was there for a year and a half before they promoted me into the general manager position." So of the fourteen years I was there, I was I was in that position for a little over thirteen um little over twelve. Um.
00:21:15
But basically, we were able to take that plant transportation wise. We ended up changing everything around. I am a big KPI person. I am a big data person, so I am first going to look at everything and say, "How do I put this to a number?" Because you can't manage what you don't measure. And so, I am going to start defining everything and start challenging different things. And I am going to use that to also understand my culture. And from a culture perspective, What I am really looking for is who's here to win and who's here not to win. And then the others are who here doesn't know how to win. And so, you know, the first and foremost, I am looking, i am trying to balance the culture so that everybody that's here wants to win. Everybody that's here is is here for the company.
00:22:14
And so, and then from there, I find it's usually educational. if we can start taking ownership, taking pride and whatnot. Especially when you have a brand like this, you guys can't even afford to mess up. You know, it's got to be great food. ;. Everybody's already anticipating that you know, it's not going to be as good as the stuff that you make at home. So, I mean, this is something you can sell really well. Where you say, "No, no, no, we're doing great things here and we are going to be the top label. " And. So if you can get people to buy in on that stuff at that point in time, it just becomes a matter of establishing what success is and what success is not. And you do that through metrics and KPI. And then helping your.
00:23:07
Your managers or your your front lines to understand what drives the KPI. So, you know, I'd say probably one of the best learning experiences was I am not sure if you remember, But there was this huge. Um t here is a huge salmonella outbreak, years and years ago in peanuts, and so everybody started throwing away the peanuts like mad. Um And Clif Bar decided that they wanted to get rid of. They didn't even want to mess with it. We're not even going to test. We're not going to anything. They got rid of seventy five truckloads of Clif Bars just in Southern California, and we had to figure out how to dispose of that, but with seventy five truckloads of Clif Bars, it changed you know You've got your tortillas coming in, you got your your uh. 
00:24:02
Bread coming in, you got your bagels coming in, And now all of a sudden I've got seventy five truckloads of Cliff Bar, which changed the mix of what our product was. Um. And um it created a whole bunch of problems. So, what we do is we we mix it to one consistency, and then we run it through the plant. And so that way, it comes out with a with our proper nutritional values and whatnot. But, The amount of fat that's in the Cliff Bars um was overrunning um our plant. And uh we have we have screens. The amount of fat that's in the Cliff Bars. Okay. So, so we dry it out, right? So now all of a sudden the fat becomes, you know, liquid and viscous if you will. And so when you run them over the screens, Um basically, think of it, think of it, like um these, you know, like, when are when are sifting flour and what not and you are running, it's got to fit through a mesh screen because you want a certain amount of size. That fat was. 
00:24:59
Covering our screens so nothing would fall through, and now I have extra product into our system because it thinks, "Hey, there is nothing small enough; let's break it down even more." Does that make sense? Yes, yeah. Um, sorry; it's a longer story than I anticipated telling. But no worries; I am intrigued. So I had a guy in my biggest things we were in Recon Service in W att s ;. It's South C entra l ;. It's what all the rappers were. We're we're uh rapping about uh when I was growing up where it's it's, it's a bad place, um and and everybody there. Nobody there thought that they were going to be special, Um when I asked people what the top was, I had a guy when I was hiring a production manager, he said, what's your biggest problem? I said the people here don't believe that they can. You know when I grew up, my dad said, you can be anything you want to be son, and they didn't get that here. And so i i started a program. 
00:25:58
That would only we would only hire for entry level, and we would train everybody from top to bottom. So you would we would always attempt you can't always do this, but we would always attempt to promote from within first, and yeah, and if we couldn't then then we would go outside. So my production operator at the time production operation at that time was was the highest you could go. So he had made it um he had he had started from, Our entry level position and been successful all the way through, and this cliff bar thing happens, and he is just struggling like crazy. And he can't get it. I am bringing in maintenance, and we're understanding this new flow. And you know, finally he says, "I don't want to do this anymore." And I am like, "What do you mean man?" You know, and we were going back and forth. And he says no Braden t here is nothing you can say to me. I am not doing it anymore." And so um. 
00:26:56
So we shifted him. We we we shifted him to a uh a lower position and um. And, This killed me and it kind of defined what I wanted to do going forward. And and because when I, went back through and went through the training protocols. I said okay train me like you trained him, And they said, yeah, first, you do this, then you do that, then you do the other thing. I go wait wait say that again and he repeated it. And I realized, He failed because he didn't understand how our plant worked, so he didn't know how to adapt. He was told, "Check the boxes, do step one, step two, step three, step four." And then I realized it was my failure not his failure. He did what he was told and he just wasn't prepared to adapt. And, we were it's a high stress environment when those plants are running and we broke him.
00:27:54
And and that shaped how I decided I was going to manage going forward, and that everything was going to be about education. You are gonna tell me I talk too much, and you are gonna get sick of me talking. But, the only reason why I am talking is because you don't get the root of what we're trying to teach you. You see, yeah, yeah, I got it. I am going to go cut here or do this and do it. No no no, why did you do it? And if you know why then you can manage yourself. You can empower yourself. And then we can build on top of that. So, in a long winded way, that is my strategy. I am going to to i am first and foremost, i am always looking for culture and I want to get the right people in and start start setting a bar that people can believe in. And they want to do well in. And yeah, and then we're going to apply everything to so here at uh. 
00:28:51
You know, a triune, which is a pool construction company. I got brought it's actually a family business. I got brought in to say for for the essentially, hey, fix us. We want to scale, but we can't seem to do it. Um, but their KPIs were, you know how many square feet of tile? Can you can you install at a time? And I am looking at them going? Well, wait a minute. You've got that water line tile that goes across the top of the pool. You've got the spa tile that where you are cutting angles here there. And any other where. And then you've got your full tile pools, and you are treating them all the same, but it's not the same work. But you are still telling, you know, you are saying the guys are slow over here, but they're super fast over here. But it's not the same. And um and I. That's not an it's not an appropriate KPI to to be looking at. You need to separate that. You need to be able to, you know, The numbers that you guys are looking at have to be in a way where it's.
00:29:46
You can actually do something with it. And so, if you are comparing apples and oranges, Now you are pushing on a guy, and you know, you are just going to break him down ;. He's going to quit or whatever, and he's going to feel like a failure. But, the reality is, is that you are not helping him when when you are holding people accountable to systems that are not properly evaluating them. And so, I want to line those out, and then once people understand those, they believe in those. Do you agree that this is an accurate number? Yes, I agree. Okay, So can you help me understand why everybody's doing it ten percent faster than you? No, okay. Let's talk about that. Um, and so, you know, and then if you are working with managers so so that's the frontline stuff. But if you are working with with managers who are dealing with the frontline thing, You do the You are doing the same thing, but in a in a You know, i am I am. Uh.
00:30:44
Big Socratic method guy, So I am going to ask you questions, so you can start thinking about it. The brain is a muscle, um, So I need you to start using it. ;. Don't let me do all the thinking. And I am going to guide you to the answers. Um, but I am a big believer in identifying everything, Um measuring it and then helping people understand what it takes to get there, while also holding them accountable to getting there. But at the same time, knowing that if you are willing to put in the effort.
00:31:15
And I hate to say this other part, but and smart enough. Um, some people hit their ceiling and unfortunately they can't go past. And we we want to treasure those people, but keep them in something that they can be successful in. Um, yeah. But um, but after that like we're here let's go let's go get it together. Um, And if people know you believe in them, then then you can do that you can and you understand everything properly properly. You can go be successful just about anywhere. Operations is great, if you follow all the rules and you know how to adapt.
00:31:48
Yes, while we're talking about. Yeah, okay,
00:31:52
Good. Yes, it was very it gave me a lot of insight. And I just want to piggyback on that. You know, while we're talking about people dynamics, You know, some of the most time consuming issues at the site, like are going to be strategic. So. How do you approach like resolving issues between hourly associates or frontline supervisors? Let's say you have like a" he said, she said" between an associate and a supervisor.
00:32:25
At the end of the day, I think that you have to rely on stuff that's actually tangible that everybody can agree on. So.
00:32:37
I am dreaming up a situation where a frontline supervisor is hoping to get out, you know, more efficient product trying to. Um. Trying to say, hey, you know, you guys aren't meeting quota. You are not moving fast enough. And this other guy's going, no, you are putting all these limitations on us. How do we do that? And I think. In a situation like that, I would want to get buy in from both of both sides. Would you agree? Would you agree that we we need to hit these numbers? Yes and yes, right. Would you agree that, you know if the supervisor is is saying that these are the issues. Not saying those are true, if those, but if they if we were to find that those were issues, those would probably keep you from from being successful, right? Yeah. And then the other side of it is right.
00:33:37
Frontline, you say these issues are going on. Would you agree, supervisor, that this is an issue? Right, that this could be if if this was true. Would you agree that this would keep them from from being successful? Well yeah okay. What can tell us You know how can we investigate this? And then you do it as a team together. Um, but also at at that point in time I would see myself as the uh we're going to be fair. We're going to be real, you know. I am going to give it to you like it is, but we're going to be fair. And at the end of the day, I think both parties. They need to understand that they're on the same team and need to feel respected. Because I can't tear somebody down and then he says, "You don't respect me," and then we go, "Yeah, of course I do." Right? He's got a feeling.
00:34:35
Right, You have to take some time out to sidestep the ego and everything and just go, "All right, tell me what's really going on," you know. And then even if he's just completely wrong, Even if the front line is complete and often it is an understanding bit. It's an opportunity for education. So, you can sidestep it. ;, you can get everybody to agree that, yes, yes, I agree in his world. He would be right in my world. I would be right. Um okay, let's go define that. Let's go look at it. Um, And I think if you can take the time out for situations like that and maybe even take a little bit more time than's comfortable sometimes. You can, If you can fix that relationship aspect because ultimately those things happen, because the two don't trust each other. Um. And. And so if they can start trusting each other, then they'll actually start figuring out what those problems are without having to bring me in.
00:35:33
Yeah, yeah, definitely. And I think that something that we're definitely looking for is not somebody that feels above, you know, like maybe some more adolescent issues. So great. Um and then are you currently working?
00:35:53
Yes. Yes, I work for Tryon.
00:35:58
What has you looking for a new role?
00:36:00
Well, like I said earlier, Ium, Triune is a family company. I got brought in to help them, to help them lock down their operations a little bit better. And we kind of went into it saying, "I don't know if this will work," but you know, We both admire it's my cousin's company, and we both admire each other from afar. And I came in, I fixed his problems.
00:36:33
And I am now at a point that said, "Okay, you know, I am. I can't. I've got a I've got a crew that he didn't think that was was possible, and I've got a crew that I can build on." Um, And um i am I am starting to find that if we want to stay the same, then um we can continue to do it his way. And uh. If If we want to if we want to accomplish his goals, um, that that I was brought in to do. Uh, we have to not do it his way. Uh, So and and unfortunately, so three years ago, when I came on I, he said, we're facing these problems. And I said, here are the three things that you need to do to change it. And he said, that won't work um three months ago. He said, you know, i i've been realizing if we want to go to the next level, we need to do these three things, and i'm like.
00:37:33
Um, you know that you know those were my ideas, right? Um, and unfortunately he's he's I don't know if you've ever worked for family companies. Um, But I found that usually, you know, many family companies, you got the owner at the top that still wants to make all the decisions. And I am a big believer in in leading and plotting a course. Um. But when I started when I started having managers work for me, I realized that they might not never do it as good or the same way that I do. But if I can define boundaries for them and make sure that they stay in it, then I don't have to do it myself. And I need to let them either succeed or fail within my boundaries. Um, might not be the same way, but and unfortunately it's he's just not able to move past that and um.
00:38:32
The criteria to which we had made agreements on has has also uh changed, and so now I am kind of sitting and honestly, I miss manufacturing. I really do. I got a random call and and said," Hey, come interview for this job." And ever since then, I was like," Man i i need to get back in. i i really do miss it."
00:38:53
I think that I saw a note on your profile that you had reached out to somebody. Um, on LinkedIn about this role, so just curious. Um, why Home Chef?
00:39:11
There's, there's an aspect of, you know, I want to be blatant. You know, bluntly honest with you. I i there. There's part of me that says, um I don't want to sell you a whole bunch like, oh, I, just so believe in the product that you're. You know, I think that t here is. I think it's really cool what you guys do. And and i i I think that's kind of what i am what I am looking for. I am looking for shiny um and and i am i am looking for ultimately, I want to grow a business. Um, again, i i want to work for a company that is expanding, that is um multidimensional. Um, ii actually do much better in in um. 
00:40:00
Chaos, if you will not saying that the operation itself needs to be chaotic, But just the speed at which things happen is probably a better way to say it. So, I like repetition. I like the fact that and I think that's why I do well with operations and manufacturing is because you are doing the same thing over and over and over again. You get to tweak it here or there and everywhere, whether it's your personnel or your. Actual equipment, and you are constantly having to adapt. So every time you guys change products, you know that's something you have to adapt to. And so I think that as I read the job description, as I read a little bit more about the company, um, I said, yeah. This is this checks. My boxes of You know. I am forty five. I've got, you know, i don't think i am ever going to be that guy that.
00:40:56
Retires early or even retires when he's supposed to. I love to, I love working. Um, and I love building stuff. And so I'm looking at forty five though, I am looking for the next company that I can kind of align myself with long term, and it's got to be a company that I can't outgrow. And with Home Chef, I don't see that happening.
00:41:20
Love that. Um. 
00:41:24
Cool, and then what are you targeting for compensation?
00:41:32
I am interviewing for jobs in the one seventy one eighty range.
00:41:42
Yeah, our budget's one sixty to one eighty. Definitely think that we can get you there. And then t here is the annual twenty percent bonus opportunity.
00:41:49
Okay, that fits.
00:41:54
I have one question. I you might not be the person to ask this to, But uh one question that I didn't get to um I am going back in, but nine times in the job description, I saw safety. And I am a big safety guy and everything, but all of a sudden it was like safety, safety. T here is a pattern here is Is. There a is is But. And and given the fact that you said that, hey this, this plant's autonomous and. You know, we don't worry about it. It's probably not at this plant. Maybe not even be at the company. It just kind of it's obviously that that safety is a is a big thing, and so I but nine times I went, I am just going to ask just in case. Yeah.
00:42:38
Um. Sorry, I wasn't sure if you were following up on something there No,
00:42:45
I i realized, i did a space filler there with myums, so i am sorry, Go ahead,
00:42:51
No no, right? We are huge on safety from not only a food safety point, from like you know environmental health and safety standpoint as well. Um, I mean it's huge in every department. Especially we have an our own safety manager, uh food safety manager. So that is hilarious that you notice it was in there nine times.
00:43:13
Yeah okay I I just have toum you know, When when I came to this company, there was a actual safety issue, and so that safety issue is gone now. But, um. So I so I ask is it just. That, that is the thing that if not properly valued, will will hit you good.
00:43:38
So. So. I'm going to connect with John, the next step would be a video interview with him. Um. And then. Let me see if he has anything to follow up on, But I think I am feeling good about, you know, getting you in front of him and especially getting some more of these. Uh great questions you have answered further.
00:44:09
Great, I appreciate that. Um, do you how soon are you guys looking to fill the position?
00:44:17
Yeah, I. 
00:44:22
Would say. I mean, it's been open since before Christmas. You know, the holidays kind of really put a pause on it. We did one round of interviews. And to be honest with you, we're kind of like starting over at this point and I really shared with you like what we got out of. That last round is, you know, we're really looking for that strong culture fit. Um, and I am being repetitive at this point, but somebody who doesn't feel above you know maybe like adolescent floor issues. Um, so we've kind of restarted at this point um a fresh round. And I would say with the interview process. 
00:45:16
Probably looking at least like another month from now. Um, cause we have a hiring manager interview, a video panel interview with some cross functional um leaders. And then there is like one more interview with our chief operating officer. So just like with the interview process in mind, um. You know, we're looking to fill it. We're ready to hire. It just all depends on the interview process.
00:45:49
I understand how that goes. So, okay.
00:45:55
Um, I do have another call at three fifteen, But anything else I can. And if and if you did have more questions, feel free to email me as well. Um but anything else I can answer for you in the meantime?
00:46:11
Um no no I think, I think that's that's it for me. I was actually worried about the same things. Like, I don't want to be on the, you know, your next uh, your next reason for for your next year. Oh yeah, man, This guy wouldn't stop talking. Soum no,
00:46:26
No, we're in a good. Um we are in a good place. I i always have a buffer. I know that my you know can expect to talk to some planter. There's a lot of experience to talk about. So yeahum and i was late. So we're goodum but. Yeah, if anything else comes up, feel free to email me. Um, which I think you already did. And then we'll get you in front of John for next week.
00:46:53
That works for me. I appreciate your time.
00:46:56
Yeah, of course. We will talk soon, and you have a great rest of your day.

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