Raise Up
Raise Up
Old School Cool with Avery Hall
4X All-Conference Defensive Tackle at Appalachian State University turned banking executive at Wells Fargo with a big heart.
In this episode, Avery combines his corporate knowledge of one of the world’s largest banks with the “in-the-trenches” old-school mentality that put him in the ASU and GA State HS Football Hall of Fame.
“You will never get something for nothing in this life. That’s not how the game works. If you're going to look at your employer for a raise, doesn’t it make sense to start off by looking at yourself in the mirror and say, ‘Okay, what have I done to add value to this team? Am I giving everything I’ve got for these folks, or am I standing on the sidelines?’”
“This isn’t about corporate America - this is about you as a person. If you develop this mindset, you can become an All American football player, you can become an All American banker, you can become an all American dentist, lawyer, whatever you decide to be. But whether that happens or not depends on how you tackle life on a day to day basis, and how you perform when the game is on the line.” - Avery Hall
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The reason I've been able to grow with my company is because I took care of my customers on a daily basis. I didn't get to far out in front. I didn't live in the past worrying about things, but I took care of my customers on a daily basis. People notice that. Then the raises come, and then promotions started to come. The titles started to come, and not only do you look back on it, and say, okay, I've been able to grow within my company. Man, I've established some great customer and people relationships along the way because I know that I'm going to take care of them on a daily basis.
Amanda:Welcome to the Raise Up podcast, the one and only place on the internet that talks about how to get a raise at work. I'm your hostess, Amanda LeFever and as you guys know, all podcasts are different. For example, some talk about sports, some talk about investing, community service and giving back. Today I got all of that because my guest Avery Hall is a man of many talents. He's the Senior Vice President of Wells Fargo Bank, a 25-year veteran who currently coaches a team of 10 bankers to support financing, cash management, wealth management services, and employee benefits services. While an undergrad at Appalachian State University, go Mountaineers. Avery was a pretty dang good football player. He was a four-time all-conference selection, and two-time All American as a defensive tackle, and following a pro career in the CFL, and arena leagues. He was inducted into the Appalachian State, former athlete's Hall of Fame, and sits in the Northeast Georgia Sports Hall of Fame. He's a smart guy with a big heart. His MBA is from Pfeiffer University. He's a proud Rotarian and he currently sits on foundation boards for both Appalachian State University, and Novant Kernersville Medical Center. Avery, thank you so much for being on the show.
Avery:Amanda, thank you so much for having me. You sound like a natural when you said go Mountaineers. Go Mountaineers.
Amanda:I knew I needed to be, after I saw that long introduction, right? We came up with that and I couldn't leave out anything because I admire all of those athletic accomplishments. And I appreciate your community service and I even heard that two of your kids are following in your footsteps and also college athletes. Is that true?
Avery:It is true, Amanda and I am truly blessed. I say truly blessed because I do think you're absolutely right. There is some value in playing collegiate athletics, and I tell people oftentimes that, who I am, and how I carry myself, it's truly because of those experiences. And you learn a lot about accountability. You learn a lot about discipline. You can't help but network and develop relationships, particularly if you're talking about a football team, when you've got 85 to 100 team members and you've got folks from all walks of life, Amanda. You got black guys, white guys, Latino guys, you got poor g uys, rich guys, you got quiet guys, l oud guys. I guess w e say introvert, extroverts. But the bottom line is you have to come together each S aturday t o win football games. And you have to work well, and work hard to get to know each other, and love and trust each other. So those are some valuable experiences. But my kids, both of them, they've done well academically in school. We talk about my son again, National Honor Society, graduated from high school, had a 4.2 GPA, and matriculated at Appalachian State in the fall of 2018. He's a rising junior. He's playing football there, and he's not getting a lot of playing time as I shared with you a few moments ago. He's able to experience that environment, that cultural college athletics, and eventually he'll get some playing time. But I'm excited about him. And then Amanda, my daughter is a senior this year in high school, she's going to graduate with a 4.1 GPA, National Honor Society, and she missed her prom this year because of COVID-19. She's going to miss a formal graduation, but she's excited. She's staying focused on what's important. That's family, that's faith, and that's controlling what you can control on a daily basis. But she's looking to play basketball at Winston Salem State University, Amanda, and she's excited about it, and we're excited about it. Obviously, you know, my wife's an NC State grad. I'm an Appalachian grad. Christie, my wife got her master's degree from Appalachian, so we're an ASU family, but we're about to adopt the Rams, and we're looking forward to it.
Amanda:That's awesome. Wow. It sounds like you guys are amazing at your house. Oh my gosh, I need to learn some skills from you, parenting and everything.
Avery:Yeah, life is good. And you we'll talk about this probably a little bit. We talk about trying to secure raises and, being the very best that you can do, Amanda, we've been blessed again. We take it one day at a time. You know, destiny is not a destination. Destiny is every day. And when I say destiny, D. E. S. T. I. N. Y, everybody wants to get to a certain level as a parent, a certain level as an employee, even at a certain level as a business owner, Amanda. But you have to have plans, you have to plan ahead. You have to lay out your goals, you have to adjust your priorities. You have to make sure that you're staying focused on what you want to accomplish. But at the end of the day, it's what you do on a daily basis that makes you successful. And that's why as parents, we try and take one day at a time, and people who know me will tell you, Amanda, I say often when it comes to my kids, thus far. They've not made any mistakes, thus far. They've not had any hiccups, but we have to take it one day at a time. So parenting is what you make of it. They're going to be great days, good days, bad days, but we take it one day at a time.
Amanda:That's true. And that kind of ties into where we're going to go in this whole raise conversation, because I've been reading this book called, How Women Rise, and it said something unique, it said that a lot of people, men and women think that their contributions will spontaneously get noticed and they'll get promoted or offered a raise. And you say, taking that day, one day at a time, do you think that there's any truth to the statement in how women rise?
Avery:I'm old school, Amanda, and I firmly believe that the secret of success in life, whether it's work, or your career, whether it's the academy at school, or whether it's sports, you have to be ready when your time comes, and want to be ready when your time comes. You have to make sure that you're focusing on continuous improvement. You have to make sure that you're focusing on being positive each and every day. You have to make sure you're focused on leading and focusing on doing the right things within your industry. And you can't just turn it on and off. This has to be, you have to be consistent, and let's face it, success has so many different facets, whether it's respect, or experience or this emotional strength, whether it's interpersonal skills, your accountability, discipline, timing sometimes plays a part of it. So, I'm old school Amanda. I don't believe you come into work and you overnight get a big raise. I think that what you do is on a consistent basis, you're the best that you can be, and you're really not focusing on that raise. You're focusing on being the very best you can be. And what I have seen in corporate America, a nd what I've seen as an athlete, and what I've seen as a parent, if you focus on the process, you focus on being the very best that you can be, good things happen. Whether it's monetary o r t here's a title, I firmly believe you don't have to have a title to lead. You don't have to have a title t o b e successful. It becomes who you are. And I promise you, if you're doing the things that successful people do, the fundamentals being good every day, doing a little more than what's expected each day. I firmly believe those raises will come. Now, a lot of people don't want to hear that, Amanda, because we're in an immediate gratification society now, and everybody wants what they want right now. Okay? But I firmly believe that if you do the little things on a daily basis, and I'm going to be redundant with a lot of things I say here, and I tell my kids this all the time, if I'm not changing what I tell you every day, I'm not principled, and I'm also probably B'sing you. What you do on a daily basis, and what you do consistently becomes who you are. And that's how you increase your value to an employer. What you earn is probably what you want, and Amanda, that you've been very successful as well. What you earn, is probably what you're worth. The investment you put into it: i s investment you will get out of it. So if y ou're looking for a raise, you have to sometimes look yourself in the mirror t o say, okay, what have I done on a daily basis, on a consistent basis to add value to my team, what does my brand look like? Am I going to add long term value to my company? And really this is not about corporate America, Amanda, this is about who a person is as an individual. I mean i f you have that type of mindset, you can become an all American football player, you can become an all American banker, you can become an all American dentist, lawyer, whatever you decide to be. But it's how you look at life on a daily basis. How do you perform on a daily basis?
Amanda:I love that. So in your career, on and off of the field, what are some of the things that you have done specifically on a daily basis that you feel has made you be consistent and stand out?
Avery:Amanda, again, most successful people, whether it be a successful banker or football player, we all say the same thing. You work hard, you stay focused, you stay positive, you have a great desire to succeed. But mechanically what that looks like on a daily basis, Amanda, success is about the fundamentals. Well no, it's the tiny details, ordinary, rudimentary things, that are often boring to most people that make you successful. Let's, look at banking. When I was a young banker, my charge was to make sure that I go out and help customers be successful. Okay. Success looked like to them, growing their enterprise. Because, I work with small businesses, and success looked like growing an enterprise, generating revenues, increasing the retained earnings, building value in the company, and subsequently building value for your family, and wealth for your family. And so going out to work with these companies, I h ad a choice every day, to decide, w hether I'm responsive to their needs, I'm providing assurance, I'm finding the right products a nd services to take care of them. And am I showing a little empathy? Okay, that's a part of it. So, am I doing that on a daily basis? So, Amanda, some people look at the fundamentals a s the next greatest thing around technology, or fads, or phases, the fundamentals o f the things you do on a daily basis. And so, the reason I've been able to grow with my company is because I took care of my company, my c ustomers on a daily basis. I didn't get to far out in front, I didn't live in the past worrying about things. But I took care of my customers on a daily basis. People notice that, then the raises, and the promotions started to come, the titles started to come. And not only do you look back on it, you say, okay, I've been able to grow within my company. Man, I've established some great customer and people relationships along the way because I know that I'm going to take care of them on a daily basis. So, its really ordinary people doing simple things on a daily basis and doing it well, not taking shortcuts, not blowing things off. I used to have a saying, when I was a young banker here, still do it today, Amanda. If a task i s very, very difficult or perceived to be v ery, very d ifficult or uncomfortable. I tackled it first, and that way I can learn and grow from it, but I t ackle it first and then that keeps me focused on doing the little things that I need to do. Paying attention to the details of client relationships on a daily basis in order for my value to be high, to not only my customers but to my company. Again, we've talked about this staying in the moment. Everybody wants to be the CEO today. Well, if you take care of the things that you're supposed to take care of right now, in the current job that you're in, you'll be better positioned to become t he CEO. You'll be better positioned to move o nto the next responsibility where you can learn and grow. But a lot of people forget that nowadays, but you h ave to make sure that you stay in the moment. It's k ind o f like p laying football. I mean the good football teams, the New England Patriots, the Boston Celtics of the'80's, you look at Duke, Carolina, NCAA basketball, y ou look at Alabama a nd college football, you look at Appalachian State in college football. They focus on the fundamentals and they do it very, very well. And they don't worry about game number 12. They worry about game number one. I used to have a football coach at Appalachian, Amanda, he would say to our team, you don't have to be the best team in the country, you just have to be the best team on the field today. So, successful people stay in the moment, they stay in the moment. And if you do that, obviously the raises will come. As I mentioned, successful people don't focus on the past. They fo cus o n the here and now. They don't get too far out in f r ont o f t he future because you just don't want to pay t axes, on ta xes b efore they are due. And that's why I say people who worry a lot, they're paying taxes before taxes are due. And that's hard sometimes, Amanda, not to do that, but really sometimes you have to just stay in the moment. Really successful people want it more, they want to be successful. They don't just talk about it, the things that you want in life align with your actions. Some people talk about being successful, they can talk a great game, but their actions will not align to what they're talking about, and you can clearly see that. But those are some of the things. I know I'm talking a little long, but you asked the question, those are my thoughts that just kind of pop right up. But hopefully I answered your question.
Amanda:Yeah, absolutely. So, we're pivoting a little bit to mindset there. And I know you're a positive guy and believe in the power of a good attitude. So, what advice or encouragement do you have for folks in a toxic work environment who feel they're trapped with poor leadership? Or they're trying to lead up, or trying to be successful, but they feel like where they're planted currently is not very encouraging.
Avery:Amanda, that's a great question. And you may have a lot of people that may fall into that bucket. But first of all, I think an individual with that type of situation needs to ask the most important question. One, are you in the right job? And if you're not in the right job, and you're not on the right team, y ou've got to make some changes. I will tell you t hat nine times out of ten, leadership can make o r break a team. Sometimes it seems like, if you got a poor leader, most of the time, that leader, they will not be there long, Amanda, if they're that kind of leader. Hopefully you work for an organization that wants to win and be successful, and they will see that. But during that transitory period, I think it's important that a person understands, one, make sure you're in the right job. Make sure you're focused on continuous improvement. Make sure you keep your mindset positive because again, you're trying to stay in the moment, and then, figuring out what your"why" is. You need to find something that keeps you focused on a daily basis that sees that poor leadership. Well, because again, your goal is to, one, be successful. Your goal is to take care of your family. So, you got to find a way to navigate a toxic environment until that leader is no longer there. Now that's the answer most people d on't want to hear. But that's the reality of it. Because again, most poor leaders will work themselves out of a job. If the institution is truly interested in being successful. But t hat's tough, but I mean, again, you have to figure out what your"why" is Amanda. And you have to make sure that you stay focused on what your goals are because you're not g oing t o change poor leadership. But at the end of the day, you can change your destination b y getting out of the toxic environment or working to be that change agent to be that leader. You can actually change the environment because you don't have to have a title to l eave. You can leave without a title and make that environment a little better then what it is, if you d ecide to stay there. But other than that, if you don't want to focus on continuous improvement and you don't want to focus on waiting out that core leadership, y ou got to make sure you have the right job a nd that you're in the right environment.
Amanda:So I've heard you say a couple times, that you needed to find your"why". Do you feel you found your"why" early on?
Avery:I did, and I found my"why" because when I get up every morning, I don't say I have to go to work, I get to go to work. I'm excited to go to work. I'm excited to work with my team members. I'm excited to work with our customers. I'm excited about the ecosystem of banking. I'm excited about how we can impact the community and we can enhance economic development within our community. I'm excited about the philanthropic efforts that Wells Fargo is doing in the community, in all of our communities. So, I have found my"why" because I don't feel like I have t o go to work every day. I g et to go do what I do. That's how I look at it. I'm blessed to be able to go to work e very d ay and l ead my team. I'm around some good team members. I'm around good folks. I feel there's value in what I do. And so I think I found my"why" but I also think Amanda, again, going back to what I said earlier, successful people, have the ability to turn even a bad event into a good outcome. So, even if I'm in a bad situation, I'm going to make it positive, I w ill find a way, because failure is not an option to me. N ow do I fail? Absolutely, Amanda. So, I don't want anybody to leave this podcast thinking I'm saying I've been successful, b ut I don't view failure like other people. I try to turn all bad events into a positive event and if I failed, or really didn't fail, I just l earn how to d o things differently.
Amanda:Right. That's such a great way to look at it too, that it wasn't really a failure, it was investing in yourself almost, you learned something new. So you're a leader, and if someone felt they deserved a raise, what's a good way for them to start a conversation with their supervisor or manager?
Avery:Well. Obviously the first thing you want to do is focus on what you do well, and then also to be prepared to talk about your weaknesses. Because nine times out of ten, think about this, Amanda, the team members that you work with or around, you know what their strengths are. You also know what their weaknesses are. It's more difficult to talk about your weaknesses, but if you come to me as a team member, you sit down and you say, listen, I've been at this two years and I'm looking for more responsibility and ultimately more fiscal resources. I know that I need to get better at this, it's kind of like a SWOT analysis. But I also know that I'm pretty darn good at this. I'm going to respect that conversation on the front end because you started with, here are the things I think I need to work on. But here's the things I think I'm pretty good at it. And not only w ill I kind of have that conversation with my leader if I were sitting and trying to secure a raise, but I would also make sure y ou k now that one, I a sked for help. I'm trying to get feedback. How can I get to this level of compensation based on what I'm doing i n my responsibilities? Because sometimes your l eader n eeds to know where you'd like to go. And so you need to make sure you help them navigate that and help your leader get you there. But also too, I always ask, and I've been doing this 26 years, so one, two, three, this is the third thing, I always ask my leader whenever we're doing a performance review, Amanda, o r w e're talking about compensation. Whether it's a merit increase or a bonus. I always ask my leader, if you left my salary out o n your desk by mistake along with my peers. Knowing what value, I bring and add to the team and what value they bring and add to the team. If I h appened to walk by and see these salaries, would I be happy, o r would I be disappointed? And I leave it at that, and I always get a clear, transparent answer from my leader, but I do ask that question. And so the answer to that question, will also tell you where you stand with that leader. Does that make sense to you? So those are the things I want to make sure that leader knows, and I'm looking for a raise, but I'm looking for more fiscal resources. I want to make sure the leader understands that I know my weaknesses and my strengths. And also, too, you don't ever want to compare yourself to anyone else. But, again, if all of our salaries, my salary and my peers, people with the same responsibility, same job description that I have. If you accidentally left our staff management, whatever system of record you use, Amanda, you left that out on your desk by mistake, and I saw it, would I be happy? Would I be disappointed? And then I'll leave it at that. And then that way I go back to what I talked about earlier. I go back to taking care of what I can control. Because again, remember if I'm doing a good job, and then I lay those three things out to my leader, and I subsequently do not get the raise that I desire, I've got choices. If I'm doing a good job, not only will my leader know it, and think hard about those questions, but someone else is going to notice it, in and around our department, or within our company, or I've also increased my brain so that I can go elsewhere. Because I've worked on continuous improvement on my own, I can go elsewhere. So, I've given myself choices. So what I'm saying, Amanda, a lot of times is not sexy and attractive cause people think there's a magic mantra for success and raises.
Amanda:Like a special question?
Avery:Well, it's not. If you're adhering to be the best you can be, you're doing continues improvement. You're in the right job, the value that you bring to your company, you know what your weaknesses, your strengths are. You will be positioned well to be successful in the current job or on someone else's team. And that's how you have to look at it. So that's why on a consistent daily basis, you have to do everything that you can to be the best that you can so that you can increase your value.
Amanda:What does consistent, not consistent, continuous improvement look like to you?
Avery:Continuous improvement to me, Amanda, looks like knowing my industry pretty well, knowing my job very well. Continuous improvement looks like to me, for example, I know what policy and procedures are at Wells Fargo. I understand the philosophy of Wells Fargo, but I go beyond that. I read, other banking books and periodicals. I stay involved with North Carolina Bankers Association. I'm in graduate school at LSU banking program, and to learn as much as I can around marketing, asset liability, committee work, the regulatory environment and banking, I'm doing different things, not because I want to be the CEO, but because I want to be good at what I do, I want to be able to help my clients be successful because of the knowledge that I have. And so that continuous improvement, Amanda, I can honestly tell you, in my 26 years, I've only probably applied or posted for one job. I've had many promotions, but I only posted for one and that one, I didn't get it. But the other jobs that I've had at Wells Fargo where there was assistant branch manager, branch manager, small business loan officer, relationship manager or senior relationship manager, a business banking manager, commercial banking leader, all of those various roles that I've had, Amanda, I've been tapped. And I think I've been tapped because of the continuous improvement that I just shared with you, which is, I'm constantly reading. I'm constantly trying to know as much as I can about my industry, and not just Wells Fargo. You know, a lot of people really try and learn a lot about the company, which I do learn and know a lot about my company, but I try and learn a lot about just the entire industry. What are some of the headwinds and tailwinds of some of those smaller banks in our industry? What are some of the headwinds and tailwinds from a regulatory perspective that we're going to have to deal with? What are some different things that I can advise my clients, our clients to be doing to prepare post COVID-19? So how can I help my clients be well-informed around PPP, the main street lending club? Just different things that you try and do to make sure you're differentiating yourself from the competition. But that's a part of that continuous improvement. And I hope I answered the question. But it's doing things or doing a little more than what is expected of you, and it's trying to grow and develop within your industry, and doing it beyond what your leaders asking.
Amanda:Right? So, it's like when you were playing football, and you had to train with the team, and you all work together. But then, when you were off the field, you had to watch, did you have to watch your nutrition? This story might not be a good story if I'm wrong.
Avery:Amanda, you're right? Where you're headed is absolutely right, what your thought process was. As a football player, everybody has talent, bigger, faster, and stronger these days. But how do you differentiate yourself? Do you cheat on the three sets of 20 that you need to do when lifting weights, or do you do four sets of 20, because you want to be stronger? Do you go in and watch film, do you watch a video like you're supposed to? So that you know what your competition is doing and what the opponent's going to try and do to attack you offensively or defensively. Are you eating healthy? Are you getting enough rest? And this is where I really tell people, football players like to party all the time in college. Are you getting enough rest? Are you drinking enough water? The guys who are doing the little things and doing them consistently are the guys who are going to perform well on Saturday. And the thing about Saturday, and it applies to business. People, Amanda, see NFL games on Sunday, they see college football games on Saturdays, high school football games on Friday. That's 5% of the production, r ight? 95% of the work was done January to August. Lifting weights, running, nutrition, taking care of your body. Okay. And then the payday is that 5% of the time, on a Saturday or Friday night or Sunday. I have a nephew w ho plays for the Denver Broncos, he's a little linebacker for the Denver Broncos. Alexander Johnson, is my sister's son. And people see him playing on Sundays and they think, man, that's awesome. He's playing in the NFL, but they just don't see how hard he's working right now. A nd i t's the same way with corporate America, whether you're in the construction industry, whether you're in the banking industry, whether you're in healthcare, the things that you do on a consistent basis that prepares you for game day, and the people who do a little bit more each day, and people w ho truly focus, and people w ho truly want to be successful, u ltimately are the ones who are successful on game day. Because again, I still believe, and I'm old school Amanda, I still believe you get the return on their investment that you put into it. I really believe that. Maybe I'm wrong until someone proves it to me or, or until I see it not work in my life. And then the lives of my children and my family members. Because I watched my nephew, like I said, he plays for the Broncos. He's not a doctor, but he's a professional. And I see how hard he works at his craft. And so until I see something that's different, I will always believe t hat, you get what you put into any endeavor, and if you put the work in, a r aise will come, you may not even have to ask for it. And I will tell you, you talk about stories, and I can't give you names, but I've got employees that I've gone t oo and said, o kay, h ere's a r aise. What did I do, Avery? It's not what you've done, it's what you do on a daily basis that I see, and I value. So anyway, I'm going to pause t here because I c an go on and on, Amanda. But I hope that answers your question.
Amanda:Yeah, absolutely. And it's a little bit of a mindset but it's also looking at it, you've mentioned this a couple of times as a craft. Like you are honing a craft and so you have to come at it from a lot of different angles, and continuously work on it and be consistent. And so, I think sometimes we don't think of it that way. We think of it as a job, as a means to an end. And we don't kind of shift our perspective, like you're building something. Would you say that you feel that way?
Avery:A little bit, but that has to be your mindset. If you want to be successful because you have to consistently build your personal brand. You have to consistently build your personal brand and your body language, the way you carry yourself, the way you do things, that becomes who you are, and people see that. So, you have to work on your craft, you have to work on gaining knowledge, you have to work on that stuff. And some people are brilliant, Amanda. Some people are highly intelligent, and things come to them easy. Either way, most people have to work on their personal brand and work on their craft on a daily basis in order to be successful.
Amanda:I like that. So, is there anything else that you want to add to this national conversation about how people are trying to get aligned on what they think they're worth versus what they're getting paid?
Avery:Amanda, again, this podcast may not be successful because this podcast doesn't offer sexy and glamorous ways to achieve a raise. But I will tell you this podcast and what I'm communicating will secure long term consistent ability to earn money and to be valuable. Because again if you're not growing, you know, you never stay the same. So, I would challenge folks, people will say Generation Z, millennials, baby boomers, we all have deficiencies when it comes to staying in the moment, we all have deficiencies when it comes to being the very best you can be on a daily basis. I would challenge your listeners to just make sure they focus on how I can be the best that I can be each and every day. And how can I do the little, boring, rudimentary, tiny details? How can I do them very well every day? And feel good about what I've done. And if you can do that on a consistent basis, Amanda, the raises will come, the titles will come. And I often times share with people don't get caught up in the titles. I've given up titles in church and other places, I don't do it because I want a title, I want to do things because I know it's the right thing to do and I feel good about what I'm doing. Its funny, people keep coming back and asking me to help with certain projects, but I don't want a title, I just do it because I want to do it, and I want to be successful. And if you have that passion with your job, the raises will come. There's an old saying, passion versus emotion. Passion involves a belief about something, emotions involve a feeling, feelings about something, and honestly feelings come and go. The belief system doesn't, so if you truly believe that you deserve a raise, your actions should align with that and your actions should align with that on a daily and consistent basis, and good things will happen. But too often, we live in an immediate gratification society, there's nothing sexy or attractive about it, it is what it is. Hopefully, your listeners will walk away understanding that consistency, and belief, and having a passion for what you do is the key to being successful and generating the fiscal resources that you are looking for.
Amanda:Yeah, I love that. And I do think that it's going to be very valuable. Tell us a little bit about what Wells Fargo is up to in the financial market that's really going to make an impact in the next few years.
Avery:I will tell you, right now, Amanda, we are really into the paycheck protection program and starting to work on the mainstream lending program, which obviously those programs are both designed to help stimulate our economy, post COVID-19. We're excited about being able to help our customers navigate, the unsettling, unprecedented times, but also too, what we're doing in the community relative to philanthropic services. I'm excited about, obviously any revenue that we g enerate from the paycheck protection program, w e'll g ive i t to charity. We've also done a lot in the community to help small businesses be successful. And obviously, Amanda, our company, we focus on healthcare, we focus on education, but I'm talking because my environment is that, well, we work with closely with companies in that$5 million to$75 million range. So, when I talk about what we're doing philanthropically is because it's what I do. But we're helping small businesses with, not only research and helping them with capital needs. But, we got a lot going on, and I like what we're doing, not only when it comes to the economic development side, but I also like what we're doing when it comes to being socially responsible in our community. And a lot of people don't talk about that, Amanda. In particular when it comes to Wells Fargo because everything you read has a lot to do with the sales scandal from four or five years ago. But I just liked the way that the things that our company is doing around philanthropic services, and how we're helping companies be successful via the paycheck protection program as well as the forthcoming main street community program.
Amanda:That's amazing. So where can people connect with you if they have any questions about some of those things? I do get some entrepreneurs that listen and so we might have some that actually reach out, where can they find you?
Avery:Obviously I am on LinkedIn, which is under Avery Hall and obviously, Avery Hall and Wells Fargo, I should pop up. I do try to balance work and family. So, if you're that type of person, you can find me on Facebook as well. I'm not on Instagram. My kids gave me a hard time, but I'm not, I have an Instagram account but I'm not on this screen. But LinkedIn and Facebook are the best ways to connect with me. I look forward to potentially hearing from folks.
Amanda:Nice. Well Avery, thank you so much for coming on the show. It's been amazing hearing your story and just all of the great things that you're doing over at Wells Fargo, so thank you.
Avery:Thank you, Amanda for having me and you have a beautiful family. I love your husband and good luck to you guys and if I can ever help, let me know. Okay?
Amanda:Okay. Thank you so much. Hey, thanks for listening today. If you enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe, share it with your friends, you can click the share button, take a screenshot and share it on your social stories and tag me at Amanda LeFever. Thanks again for listening and I will talk to you guys soon. Bye.