179. What’s the Price of Doing the Right Thing with Idy Marcus

Situations involving stalking can be a gray area.Does the person mean well but are just awkward in their approach? Are you reading too much into it? Let’s not jump to conclusions and end up smearing an innocent person. We should give the benefit of a doubt until we have our facts straight.All of these are very natural impulses, rooted in solid values that generally speaking serve us well. And they could have cost Idy Marcus dearly.Idy was raised in a very loving home by parents who married and started their family later in life. They adored each other and were connected in every way. This sentiment passed down to Idy and her sister, who picked up values like your handshake is your bond, present yourself well, give people the benefit of a doubt, and be honorable in all things.She also learned to be bold, take chances, and not be afraid to take the plunge. Her family encouraged her to be curious, courageous, and not fear failure. These traits all served Idy well as she grew her career as a leadership management and corporate conflict resolution expert. When she started her own company, she figured if it didn’t work out, she had enough contacts eating lunch on Washington DC’s K Street that she wouldn’t go hungry. After her sister passed and then suddenly her dad two years later, Idy insisted her mother come live with her. Her mom attended events with her and served as a fantastic business resource. Just before they were to move overseas for work with a corporate client, her mom suffered a massive and debilitating stroke, rendering her unable to speak and with limited mobility. Idy immediately put her career on hold to stay at the care facility with her mom full-time. In her unique way, Idy carved out a path where everything was fine, until it wasn’t – after all, Fine is a 4-Letter Word.One of her mother’s caretakers seemed nice enough, if a bit awkward. Idy didn’t make a whole lot of his obsession with her and minimized others’ concerns. Then she found black roses left on her car. Then her car was broken into. At first she tried to reason with the man, to give him the benefit of a doubt… until he started stalking others.In a moment, when you meet Idy, you’ll discover how dealing with this situation led her to take on the role of CEO for Pro-Tect Services, LLC, a startup that uses trained U.S. veterans to provide on-demand close protection security service to those confronting domestic and intimate partner violence and stalking.Idy’s hype song is "Let's Go Fly a Kite" from the "Mary Poppins" Soundtrack.Resources:Idy Marcus’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/idy-idora-marcus-520513277/ Invitation from Lori:This episode is sponsored by Zen Rabbit. Smart business leaders know trust is the foundation of every great workplace. And in today’s hybrid and fast-moving work culture, trust isn’t built in quarterly town halls or the occasional Slack message. It’s built through consistent, clear, and HUMAN communication. Companies and leaders TALK about the importance of connection and community. And it’s easy to believe your organization is doing a great job of maintaining an awesome corporate culture. Because there are… Annual all-hands meetings where once a year you hear a well-rehearsed speech, employees clap politely, and everyone leaves with the same unanswered questions they came in with. "Open door policies" that no one ever uses because people are uncomfortable walking in to talk with someone they don’t feel like they know very well. "Fun" team-building events like escape rooms, trust falls, and awkward, out-of-fashion happy hours Generic "we appreciate everything you do" emails with zero personalization or sincerity. Company values posted on a wall with no substance behind them. But let's be real. Leaders who are serious about building real trust are finding better ways to...Strengthen culture by sharing authentic stories from leadership and employees.Create connection so that remote and in-office teams know and understand each other and are eager to collaborateFoster community where everyone feels like they belong.That's where I come in. I’m now hosting and producing internal/private podcasts for forward-thinking companies. Think old-school printed newsletter in a modern, updated format. I KNOW, what a cool idea, right?! If you run, work for, or know of a company that wants to facilitate communication, foster connections, build community, and maintain culture, let's chat. Message me at [email protected]. Because when people feel heard, they engage. When they engage, they perform. And when they perform, the business succeeds beyond projections.Now, let’s bring Idy in. Knowing her, she might tell us to go fly a kite!