Zachary Lones started working as a cashier at Sam’s Club (which I didn’t know was owned by WalMart) and rose through the ranks from a business associate to multiple levels of managers and landed in the director’s seat 8 years later.
I saw his story on LinkedIn and I thought, Zachary would be a great podcast guest. A lot of people want to get promoted, especially in a large company and Zach has done it so many times and I wanted to distill the method on how he did it.
This is great episode about climbing up the ranks, but I think the heart of this episode is what Zachary’s mission in life is, and how being promoted allows him to accomplish it. He empowers and showcases people through media the people at Walmart who love their jobs. From the cashier to the janitor.
About Zachary
11 years ago I began as a cashier at Sam’s club, climbed the store ladder til I was running stores at Walmart, today I am the Local Social & Walmart World Director. My aim is to use my job to do work that makes the world a better place. My current role let’s me connect the dots of our past with our future in a way that helps Associates grow as individuals.
Sponsor
This episode is sponsored by Salt of the Earth. During IFT, I went to their booth. They were serving vegetarian meatballs and mac and cheese using Mediterranean umami. I would say, it was probably the best meatball made of pea protein I’ve tasted. Mediterranean Umami brings a rich, savory component while being clean label and reduces sodium and made with simple ingredients such as tomatoes, sea salt, seaweed, and mushrooms.
Ask my friend David for a bottle of Mediterranean Umami any time by emailing info@salt.co.il
Show Notes
When someone asks what you do for a living, what do you tell them?: I’m trying to improve the world one customer, one associate, one person at a time.
What is your official title?: Director of local social media and associate magazine
I started as a Cashier at Sam’s Club (owned by Walmart)
then I was a business associate
department manager
assistant manager
co-manager
store manager
Director
Any advice on climbing the ladder?: If you’re doing a good job and working hard and someone’s asking you to do more, you should do it and say yes.
Why did you decide to go into management?: I could impact more people being a manager
How does structure work?: Hourly positions, then there’s different levels of management. Supervisors, managers, support managers, assistant managers, co-managers
What was the story from switching from Manager to Director?: Every Walmart has its own Facebook page. I took charge of their facebook page and it was one of the best. The CMO noticed this and challenged me to teach other people to do social media
Zachary Lones post about social media
Social media has a tremendous amount of reach for my area and can let them know about the people who work there. It boosts moral for the associates and they can serve more customers
Servant Leadership
Comic: If you go to school, you’ll never have to end like that guy: If you go to school, you’ll make a better place for that guy
What’s wrong with the guy cleaning up the road?
What’s the value of a magazine?: to showcase amazing people and improves the company culture
It’s plain ordinary folk that change the world
If the company doesn’t celebrate the people and the culture, the people might be looking into other stories and
Why does your job rock?: You can be anyone in the world and there is a job for you in this company and you can give people real opportunity to change the world
What kind of cool technology is happening right now?: There’s services where you can text someone to find a perfect gift for a customer.
How do we digitally serve the customer and give the same WalMart experience?
What have you noticed in terms of buying things in different generations?
We purchase things through Instagram
We have Walmart groceries delivered to our house
We do go to the store but mainly to get out of the house and have our daughters be immersed outside
We don’t shop because we have to, but because it’s the experience
Retail might be more experience focused now
Bruce Willis Surrogates
We might be living in a world where we stay in our home forever
Favorite Quote: Tupac Shakur – I may not change the world but I guarantee I may spark the brain that will change the world.
Favorite Book: I commit to read about 25 pages a day. I like books because I can write in it.
I went to college for Jewish Studies and read the Bible a lot
A More Beautiful Question by Warren Berger
The Book of Beautiful Questions by Warren Berger
My Book List for Creative People
The Coaching Habit
Any advice for anyone who wants to climb the career ladder?: There’s an entrepreneur culture of running off and live your passion and whatnot. You can also do this as an Intraprenuer. I can have a purpose in a company as long as I change my mindset
My Personal Mission Statement: How do I change the world one person at a time?
Into The Spiderverse
Where can we find you for advice?: I’m on instagram@zacharyelones and LinkedIn: Zachary P Lones
or Zacharyplones@gmail.com