MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: ROBIN MACKLIN

Studio IX:              So tell us who you are & what you do.

Robin:  My name is Robin Macklin. I'm  a principal member of Myth-Talent, a team that matches people with jobs that are a good fit for them. We support the local tech community. We meet with individuals, find out what makes them tick professionally, and then help them to find a way to achieve that.

Studio IX:              What are you passionate about?

Robin:  I love photography, I stepped back from it years ago, professionally, though I still have some photography clients and I love the work. I do a lot of volunteer photography to support organizations in town. I also love to exercise, bonfires, hosting a good gathering of friends. & I give myself my own haircuts, which is good.

Studio IX:              You do a very nice job. (Laughter)

Robin:  Thanks, it’s the fiscally responsible thing to do.

Robin: I think most of all I love to write. That’s really my thing.  I'm making it a steady and regular part of my life for the first time ever. I've had a few essays published, but I really want to finish a novel. I have a screenplay I'm working on as well, so yeah.  I’m fine tuning a structured approach to it, one that I can realistically stick to.

Studio IX: Do you see a connection between your passions and the work that you do?

Robin Macklin:  Yeah. You know, I have an introvert's set of hobbies, but I actually love to communicate with folks and I enjoy free flowing conversation and the conviviality. So it makes sense that I would be doing this. My work benefits from my natural ability to move from one thing to another.

Studio IX:              Yeah. It's all connected.

Studio IX:              What's the best mistake you've ever made?

Robin Macklin:  Most people who are in a service industry have at one point probably had an unhealthy client relationship.  Long ago, I learned that some checks just aren’t worth it. Early in my career, there was a period when my most profitable client relationship was with someone who was pretty abusive, but it was a lucrative contract so I just endured it. And then one day I ended up firing her by accident, with a misdirected email. It wasn't great. But after about 60 seconds of panic, relief really washed over me. The lesson I learned was that enduring a relationship of that kind is toxic to all the other aspects of life. It was a seed and from that seed grew this sense that I wanted to be doing things in a different way, be intentional in relationship development, and to be doing work that really benefited everyone involved, including myself.

Robin Macklin:  And here we are, Myth Talent does exactly that. Every single thing we do passes through the lens of, does this help an individual to thrive? Does it make them happier? The idea is that a thriving individual leads to a more energized company, and more energized companies lead to a prosperous community. So we're trying to help everybody, one person at a time. And honestly I could point to that mistake, that email, as the point at which I just started acting on my convictions.

Studio IX:              Such a great story.

Studio IX: Where do you see yourself and the company in 5 to 10 years?

Robin Macklin:  I mean we’re aiming to be the most powerful company in the world. (laughter). But how do we get there? That's the question.

Studio IX:              That. is the question. (laughter)

Robin Macklin:  But in all seriousness, we’d like to continue to grow in our capacity to deliver the services that we do. To improve people’s lives, build a healthier business community and community at large.

Studio IX:              Love it.

Studio IX:              Last question. What do you like about being here at Studio IX?

Robin Macklin: I love Studio IX just for the fact that it exists in the way that it does. It's been absolutely invaluable to my career, my presence here. I've met so many great people. And the coffee is great.

Studio IX:              Thanks.

Robin Macklin:  Yeah, the coffee is really good. It's so much better than the coffee I make at home.

Studio IX:              It's Virginia's fault.

Robin Macklin:  Yeah, I saw that in the last Spotlight. You can put it in this one, too.

Studio IX:              We certainly will. Virginia’s the best. (laughter)

Studio IX: Thanks for your time, Robin.

Robin Macklin:  Thank you, Greg.