We’re thrilled to share with you the latest episode of Harder Than it Looks where we had the pleasure of hosting Julie Dixon, the founder and owner of Dixon Resources Unlimited. Julie's journey is a testament to the power of perseverance, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to customer service.

In this episode, Julie shares her experiences working at Disneyland and the valuable training she received there.

Julie also discusses the importance of instilling a passion for customer experience in employees and shares insights on the hiring process. We dive into her journey as an entrepreneur and the challenges she faced in building her business.

Here are some key takeaways from our conversation:

The Hiring Process: Julie emphasized the significance of hiring individuals who possess the right qualities. She shared her unique approach to interviews, focusing on problem-solving skills and ethical decision-making.
The Magic of Parking: we agreed that parking is one of the most misunderstood industries. We discussed the importance of including parking in conversations about design and traffic congestion.
Women in the Parking Industry: Julie discussed the challenges she faces as a woman in a male-dominated industry and the need for more diversity. She encouraged everyone to continue their efforts in creating a more inclusive and respectful environment.

Julie Dixon has over 30 years of parking and transportation management experience directly supporting municipalities, academic institutions, and agencies throughout the United States.

She has extensive knowledge and hands-on experience with soliciting, developing, deploying, operating, and maintaining parking and transportation solutions. Julie is celebrating the 10-year anniversary of Dixon Resources Unlimited which was founded with the intention to help agencies make parking easy, convenient, and accessible.

Be sure to check out these great clips from the show:

Establishing a thriving business from the ground up [00:01:22] Julie discusses the excitement and recognition of her business's 10th anniversary and being named IPMI's organization of the year.

Leading and motivating a high-velocity team [00:02:26] Brian acknowledges Julie's confidence and progression as a leader after ten years of running her business.

Overcoming adversity in a predominantly male industry [00:03:32] Julie reflects on the challenges and successes of building her business and the infectious fun and confidence within her team.

The behind-the-scenes training at Disneyland [00:13:35] Training at Disneyland, including logistical organization, cash handling, and customer service interaction.

Working at Disneyland's commercial bakery [00:16:05] Working in the commercial bakery at Disneyland, interacting with legacy employees, and exploring the park.

Interviewing process for customer service roles [00:17:29] Group engagement and face-to-face interviews, navigating challenges and assessing common sense and behavior correction.

Group Interviews and Selecting Candidates [00:20:43] Julie discusses the process of group interviews and the importance of assessing candidates' comfort, trustworthiness, and thought process.

Using Situational Questions in Interviews [00:21:49] Julie explains the effectiveness of situational questions in getting authentic responses from candidates and assessing their thinking skills.

Entrepreneurial Thought Processes and Work Ethic [00:24:35] Julie reflects on her upbringing in an entrepreneurial family, the competitive nature of family dinners, and the development of a strong work ethic.

The challenges of starting a business [00:30:18] Julie discusses the challenges she faced when starting her business, including the speed at which she had to establish her business entities and the sacrifices she made.

The unexpected growth and success of the business [00:31:20] Julie talks about how she never anticipated having employees and the surprising success and recognition her business has achieved, including receiving an award for organization of the year.

Managing and motivating a team [00:34:11] Julie discusses her approach to managing and motivating her team, including allowing them to be entrepreneurs, being available to help them, and the challenge of letting go of control. She also emphasizes the importance of having a sense of humor in the industry.

Challenges of being a female in the parking industry [00:40:52] * Discussion on the unique challenges faced by women in a male-dominated industry and the need for improvement.

Dealing with derogatory language and stereotypes [00:41:17] * Exploration of the derogatory language and stereotypes faced by women in the industry and the importance of not letting it affect personal growth.

Support and unity among women in the industry [00:45:16] * Highlighting the need for women in the industry to support and uplift each other, and the positive impact of women in leadership positions.

Julie's catchphrase [00:50:23] Julie shares her catchphrase, "We get shit done," and emphasizes the importance of finding solutions instead of focusing on problems.

Julie's hardest accomplishment [00:51:30] Julie discusses the challenges she faced while completing her MBA while working full-time and traveling, highlighting the sacrifices and uncertainties she experienced.

Challenges in the parking industry [00:54:09] Julie talks about the difficulties in ensuring that people deliver on their promises in the parking industry, including issues with product functionality, customer support, and integrations.

The importance of parking in conversations [01:00:21] Julie discusses the importance of including parking in conversations and how it affects other aspects of design work and traffic congestion.

Starting and scaling a business in the parking industry [01:07:01] Brian talks about the challenges and importance of starting and scaling a business in the parking industry, emphasizing the need for experience and an entrepreneurial spirit.

The mental side of triathlons [01:17:24] Kent shares the mental challenges and struggles that triathletes face, including self-doubt, motivation, and redirection.

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