“While our focus is the investment in the human capital of an organization, the ultimate goal is to help a company create and maintain its competitive advantage,” said Barrett. “We simply recognize that companies will never reach their objectives unless employees are performing at their very best.”
In her line of work, Barrett believes that a personal touch is important, and that’s why she’s got an edge over her competition. As the owner of a small business, she can tailor her solutions to each company’s needs. “There are other companies that do education like I do, but it’s somewhat canned,” she says. “We design and customize our education around our clients. Nothing we do is off the shelf.”
Barrett’s journey began at Murray State University in Kentucky, where she earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. “I began as a business major,” she recalls, “but it didn’t excite me.” Then she took a communications class, and it sparked her interest. She decided to make a change, and so she sat down to talk with her professor, Dr. Jerry Mayes, chair of the new Organizational Communications program. When Barrett sat down in his office, she was struck by a poster hanging on the wall. In big letters, the poster read: ‘What in the world can you do with an organizational communications degree?’ A list of potential careers was spelled out below, and as Barrett remembers, “there wasn’t a blank spot on the paper!” The possibilities seemed endless, and Barrett felt her light bulb switch on. She changed her major, took an internship at Mayes’s consulting firm, and hasn’t looked back since.
She set out to gain the experience she needed by working in training, HR, and organizational development. Then, in the fall of 2006, she partnered with two contract companies and began building her own client list. Organization Impact had begun.
Despite starting her company at the onset of an economic downturn, Barrett hit the ground running. “My first two years were very strong,” she says. “But 2009 is where I saw the bottom fall out.” Luckily, this cloud has a silver lining. “Recession forces you to focus on what the consumer truly needs. I do believe that as difficult as our recession has been, it’s given birth to new ideas and businesses.”
Organization Impact is thriving despite a tough economy, and Barrett is only just getting started. “Going forward, my long-term goals are to deepen my existing client relationships.” She’s discovered that effecting change through organizational development is not a one-step process; continuous interaction is essential. “I’d like to [meet] with organizations once a quarter in order to create a long-term relationship,” she said.
It’s also important to Barrett that she works for companies who do good work. “As a Christian, I believe that giving back to the community is important,” she says. “Organizations that have a good cause, like community centers and church ministries, often depend on volunteers.” For these organizations, the challenges can be great given their limited financial resources. “Yet they are striving to truly impact society,” said Barrett. “We are sensitive to that and want to help them through leadership principles from a biblical perspective.”
That personalized touch is what sets Organization Impact apart. Barrett is passionate about her work, and, it’s about more than just profitability. “You have to remember who you are,” she says, “Your job should never define you. You are more than a paycheck or a business card.”
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