Three Fort Wayne firms ranked "Best Places to Work in Indiana"
Posted by Dan in Uncategorized
The Indiana Chamber of Commerce is announcing 50 Hoosier companies that have been designated “Best Places to Work in Indiana.” Twenty-three of the companies on this year’s list also received the designation last year. Honorees are chosen through employer reports and employee surveys. The rankings of the companies will be announced at a luncheon on May 2.
The three from Fort Wayne:
Fort Wayne Metals Research Products Corporation
Ash Brokerage Corporation
LaBov & Beyond, Inc.
Falling off the list from last year was Fort Wayne Metals.
Of the 50 honorees, 23 received the same distinction in 2006.
The program honors the top companies in the state, as determined through employer reports and comprehensive employee surveys. Winners were selected from two categories: small to medium-sized companies of between 25 and 249 employees, and large-sized companies consisting of 250 or more employees. Out-of-state parent companies were eligible to participate if at least 25 full-time employees are in Indiana. Ninety companies took part in the initial evaluation, with 85 completing the process and eligible for ranking.
The Best Companies Group has overseen similar programs in 18 other states. ModernThink, LLC, a workplace excellence consulting firm, handled the selection process. The basis for this initiative is Fortune magazine’s noted “100 Best Companies to Work for in America.â€
“The Best Places to Work in Indiana program has two missions: to honor those exemplary employers and to encourage other Hoosier businesses to evaluate their workplace environment to see how it affects their employees,†states Indiana Chamber President Kevin Brinegar. “Common sense tells us that an employee who feels valued will likely be a more dependable, productive worker, and therefore have a positive impact on the company’s bottom line.
For more information on the Indiana Chamber’s Best Places to Work program and a complete list of winners go to www.bestplacestoworkIN.com.
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LaBov & Beyond must be f*cking incredible, to make the list with a megalomaniac for a honcho.
No shit. I bet he (Barry LaBov) paid off his employees to enter comments in the contest. Or worse yet, threatened them into submission.
I have personal experience there. LaBov is obsessed with himself. He’s burned more bridges in this town than anyone I know. The turnover rate there is horrendous and they have are hard time keeping anyone more than one or two years. Want a real opinion, ask Matt Kelly of One Lucky Guitar. He escaped before Barry could ruin his reputation.
AWB, you should post what Barry & Co screwed you out of on the NAVL project. Wasn’t it something in the neighborhood of $10K?
You’re close. They left this amount unpaid.
LaBov & Beyond, Inc. Open Balance Amount 9,895.84
The interesting part is we did the 98% of a interactive CD project for NAVL through LaBov, and they just put their name on it and according to one of their former employees charged NAVL more than three times what we charged.
We did get a lawyer invovled but the cost would have exceeded the recovery. I was warned about partnering with Labov and didn’t listen. Barry is quite the snake.
Since someone above has mentioned my name, I’ll chime in on this. I worked at L&B for just shy of five years, straight out of college, and don’t regret it at all. Looking back at it now, my run there served as “grad school” for me in marketing, design, advertising and real-world business. In many ways, I learned more on Cook Road than I did in Bloomington, skills and ideas that serve me to this day. It didn’t “ruin my reputation” at all — instead, I had credibility and a track record that blew away my early clients. Continuing with the “grad school” idea, when I look at my contemporaries who have since left the company, so many of them are absolute superstars now, part of that being attributable to their experience in the LaBov world: John Crilly at BIG, Barry Armbruster at Nichols, Kathy Jauregui at Formula, Jason Roemer at Lodge, and on and on.
I think part of the problem is that people expect or desire an “ad agency” job to be fun and easy. That’s half right. And I laughed my ass off at LaBov & Beyond, we had a blast. But if you want to come in and ride out the clock standing around the coffee maker while talking about ‘Dancing with the Stars’ and coast through the day, week, month collecting your check, it’s not the place. My old classmates who went to Chicago or NYC to work in ad agencies would laugh at the “tough hours” I had at LaBov, they LIVED (sometimes literally) at their workplaces. Perhaps it’s that L&B has a “big city” ad agency perspective in a climate that would rather phone it in? I never wanted “easy” and I still don’t. I like to be mentally engaged, challenged, pushed, pulled and given the opportunity to hit the ball out of the big league park when the pressure is on and the world is watching. LaBov & Beyond is not a sandlot.
That said, I was young, single and outside of work, only concerned with making it to band practice on time, or plotting out my next concert trip. I can imagine that if you’re married and, in particular, have children, it can be a trial to work through some of the more intense situations there.
Is it the best place to work in FW? I don’t know, I suppose part of me would rather work in the tasting department at Edy’s. But I do know this — I received many job offers while I was working at LaBov, and I’m quite thankful I never took a single one of them.
Mr. Kelley -
Well written. Well done.
Anyone ever visit that wonderful winery in Fremont, Indiana? Now that is an occupation. Why not on the tops list?
I see Labov won yet another award for best places to work. I have never worked there, but I know someone who did and still knows people there. Their turnover is extremely high, so how do they win?
Editor’s note: I believe it’s called self-nomination. In addition, they are required to have their employee’s fill out what is called a “The Employee Engagement & Satisfaction Survey”. Now tell me, just how bad a survey are you going to turn in if it could cost you your job?
The survey system of the “Best Places to work” is not anonymous. Each employee gets an individual link and must login, further the raw data is provided to the employer and therefore the “fear” of losing your job is very real. Labov puts a lot of emphysis on these awards internally and although they do not “force” they do “strongly encourage” everyone to fill it out. Further, everyone knows that labov gets the raw data, therefore it is suspect information.
For their recent “ethical award”, I inquired to the BBB as to how they verify that applications. To my surprise, they do NOT. The award is given solely based on the application submitted by the companies, with no verification, follow up, investigation, etc. What good is the award????
I have heard that a substantial lawsuit was filed against Labov & Beyond in Allen County Superior Court by two former employees and their spouses. Can anyone confirm this?
A Labov & Beyond lawsuit by an employee would not be surprising. From what I have seen, Labov & Beyond’s turnover is extremely high even for an ad agency or whatever they call themselves these days. Has anyone looked into this? Can we have details?
Lawsuit? I guess the only question is what for? If it was class action, I bet that the entire historical employee list would come out to join the suit. I never worked there but i had a friend that did and told me horror stories. My bet is that it is for defamation or wire-tapping. Everyone always thought that big baldie was watching and listening. Probably some sort of illegal activity that he can’t threaten or sue his way out of. If anyone knows more, please post.
Hey — did you see all the videos on youtube posted by someone?? they are of Barry and his band from years ago — they are a riot — i heard they broke up because of barry and his need for control
I have confirmation that Labov has been sued. In layman’s terms they have been sued for installing keystroke monitors on the personal computers owned by several employees. The sued has been filed in superior court.
so what does that mean? i would love to go watch that trial and see him finally get caught for all the stuff he pulls on everyone
What does that mean? It means that Labov has been sued by by at least two employees. I have heard that more suits may be coming. Odd that a place “voted” (note the cynicism) Best places to work has to monitor the computers of employees, and their personal computers as well.
more suits coming? there IS a santa claus. what glorious news at this time of year. if there is a class action of some sort, i would like to know. . . . mr profitable would have to give up his precious little plane and golf club. better too if it there were criminal charges since he is the perfect guy for a perp walk. he wouldn’t make it very long in prison
There may be more suits coming and of course there is a Santa Claus. However Santa probably does not visit Barry Labov. Interesting that you mention “Mr. Profitable”. I have heard that the entire focus at Labov is on profit, even to the point that Labov & Beyond seems to have continued to lose clients without being able to replace them at an alarming rate. I wonder how the Automotive industry troubles will affect Labov? Since the company seems to be dependent on Audi of America and Volkswagen of America, Labov & Beyond could see deep trouble through these trying times. Labov has a plane? I did not know that, but it is not surprising. I have read comments on AdRants that Labov & Beyond seems to be “trying” to be a large agency and I imaging the plane is part of that. However, I predict failure in that endeavor.
Barry Labov on a perp walk? THAT IS FUNNY!
profit IS king .. and he gives the appearance that he shares with employees — through selling stock in his company or sharing the profit — but this is all in a way to control you and threaten you .. he then tells everyone how great he is and, in fact, he is not a good man at all — you are dealing with the devil, for sure . . . and his reliance on automotive has been huge — and training . . . and it is mostly audi and suzuki — thanks to one employees “close” relationship with the decision makers at those 2 companies — but vw is hardly anything at all….look at their other clients listed on their web site – they are all BS and companies that did one small project with them and then never came back becasue barry would put pressure on his people and the clients to do projects to the point that employees are beaten and clients are offended — there is not one client that genuinely likes barry — that’s why he broods in his corner office and brings in people for a good beating every day. The stories i have heard are crazy. I hope that this lawsuit becomes public in the Journal Gazette — it will, for sure, make him very unhappy. What a happy new year it will be!
Profit sharing? I heard that Labov & Beyond takes the net profit of the compay, divides it in half (under the pretense that this is to pay the taxes on the profit) and then gives the employees 5% of this half that is left.
But wait…there is more
Then, each time an employee makes a mistake, that mistake is subtracted from this 5% of the half of the net.
However, when management makes mistakes, these are also subtracted from this 5% of the half of the net.
Obviously the money that Labov & Beyond pays to Above Aviation, for the plane, is an expense but it is actually a tax shelter and one of the ways the drive the “official profit” down.
I have also heard that clients do not like barry. Specifically I heard that several people in senior management at Cessna referred to Barry Labov as a shyster. Is that true?
And yes, everyone knows that many of those “clients” are not actually clients at all.
Barry Labov is the owner and CEO of Labov & Beyond in Fort Wayne, Indiana. From reading this page, there appears to be many negative comments about Barry Labov of Labov & Beyond, including comments from general users, employees, and others in the community. Why would someone like Barry Labov of Labov & Beyond have such negative comments on the internet, when other agencies do not? Even the largest agencies seem to lack this “nega” viral marketing. Without commenting and evaluating each negative comment about Barry Labov, CEO of Labov & Beyond and general comments about Labov & Beyond in Fort Wayne, it has to be said that “there has to be something to this obvious backlash Barry Labov and Labov & Beyond is getting.
I just want to say that I was at LaBov and Beyond for several years and although I heard about and witnessed many things that didn’t jive with my work ethics, I do not regret my time there. I learned a great deal about who I want be, and don’t want to be, in the business world and in my day-to-day treatment of people. My technical skills were enhanced as well as my confidence in knowing that if I could meet the challenges presented by Barry and others, I could not only survive but make an impact wherever I chose to go.
Hello IHaveValue, thank you for your post. It seems that many people worked at Labov and witnessed and heard of many things that did not jive with their Ethics. Many of these people have used a bad employer to help them define how they define a good employer, and it definitely seems you are saying the same. We appreciate your comments and honesty.
Barry
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCHdlxLKRsA
OMG, that video is funny and the song cracked me up, in a bad way. So Barry Labov was losing his hair a long time ago, it seems.
To correct a previous user, Labov & Beyond and Barry Labov does not have “nega” viral marketing, it is “Mega Nega” viral marketing.
Honestly, hasn’t everyone in Fort Wayne heard the “story” about Labov? Hasn’t everyone worked there by now, in just the last year? LOL
After watching that video and listening to that song, I now hate music.
I’ve been following this thread for quite some time now, and was actually an employee when the award was won. There are many things that people have posted that are true, that I’ve witnessed, and a few that have been a tad embellished. At any rate, I have to completely agree with IHaveValue. I improved greatly by working at Labov and don’t regret my time there. But it comes at a price. Most of the younger employees figure this out within a year or two. And now, I absolutely know what kind of person/place I don’t want to work for.
I’ll never be able to understand an employer who accepts the fact that a high turnover rate is the norm, and never once asks himself, “why are people really leaving?”
I also worked at Labov & Beyond when the award was “won”, I have also looked into the award and found the winner is judged solely on the written application. There is no effort put into validating or verifying the claims made in the application. I read somewhere that this makes the Torch Award nothing more than a “writing contest”, I would have to agree.
I do regret my time there, I had another offer when I went to work at Labov and in hindsight I believe I made the wrong choice.
I witnessed mistreatment of employees, harrassment, over billing of clients and generally too much emphysis on “profit”. Perhaps that is why I saw clients leave Labov and in my time there, they did not get replaced with new clients. The “marketing fluff” of Labov says they only “accept two new clients a year”, however during my time the company was aggressively seeking new clients, but failed in each attempt.
I also cannot understand why the management at Labov & Beyond does not ask themselves why their turnover is incredibly high, nor do they ask why clients are not satisfied, nor do they ask anything beyond “how many hours did you put on that project” and “how many hours are we billing for that project.”.
Another bit of “labov marketing fluff” that I have seen is the “clients are just one, one size fits one, etc.”, however during my time the emphysis was for employees to come up with one idea that could be leveraged for all clients, in fact there was a bonus program built around it. The concept was rejected by many of the employees that I consider “good talent and good people”, however the company thought this “factory” approach to ideas was the way to go. Again, back to focusing solely on profit.
It was very sad.
Hello, I worked at Labov & Beyond for several years and can confirm the bonus plan to come up ideas that can be resold to other clients. I was horrified by it, this concept went against the grain of what we should have been focusing on with clients.
One other thing I have not heard mentioned in the “how many employees does Labov & Beyond have” debate. In reality, the number hovers in the 40’s, however in all client presentations and external marketing peices the number is reported at 60, 70, and even higher. For me, this was an ethical issue since the authors of that information knew the numbers were skewed for the sole purpose of making Labov & Beyond look like a larger company.
In many of these peices, the company listed clients that were not clients, and had not been clients for a significant amount of time. In some cases, that time span was measured in years. Again, this was an ethical issue for me.
I recently saw a Journal Gazette article about Labov & Beyond and saw their yearly earnings reported at 49.x Million per year. Was that a joke? Anyone that works there knows the number is much, much, much, lower. I would enjoy seeing the typical Barry Labov explantion behind that number.
Reporting a client list that is not accurate and current to a potential new client is a serious matter. Clients have to trust the ethics and integrity of a company, or know that it is lacking.
Incorrectly reporting their number of empoloyees as significantly higher than it is also smells bad. Large companies do not do this, small companies are more prone to, however the ethical companies do not do it regardless of size.
Unfortuneatly for Labov & Beyond, it appears they are in the unethical group of companies and clearly there are employees that have left for that reason.
I have been a freelancer for Labov and have seen recent post from Barry Labov on his “The Labov Report” stating that companies should not beat up vendors, push for price downs, etc.
I am APPALLED, that is exactly what Labov does and I know that they do it with ALL their vendors.
Barry Labov’s blog says that companies should treat vendors as “partners”, but Labov & Beyond does not. They have a formal procedure for beating up vendors.
HYPOCRITE is the only professional word I can muster.
And “The Labov Report” is hardly unique, new, or creative. In fact, reading what comes out of his mind is boring and only entertaining in the same way that watching a documtery on Ted Bundy is.
Seriously, “The Labov Report”?
That is almost like saying “The Walmart Greeter Report”. Not to say that Walmart Greeters aren’t great people, I am sure they are. However, do I need to see a blog from one? If I was a Walmart greeter, would I think the world cares what I say? The world?
That is what “The Labov Report” claims, that the world wants to know what Barry Labov has to say in The Labov Report.
The Labov Report is funny!
After reading the post on The Labov Report and looking at the “reaction” options, which are funny, interesting, and cool, I am left wondering something.
Why can’t I choose stupid, silly, idiotic, egotistical, hypocrytical, etc.?
The Labov Report seems to lack an audience, comments, and valuable reading. Does that mean The Labov Report has a recipe for success?
The Labov Report is good reading, it is entertaining, and I agree with Dave who asks “Why can’t I choose stupid, silly, idiotic, egotistical, hypocrytical, etc.” as reaction options to the post.
The most recent self-justification three part series on business jets is comical!
As a former employee I have direct knowledge of their use of the “business jet”. That jet was often flown with just one person. There was one shareholder who was often criticized for taking the jet and being the only one taking the jet anywhere.
My father is a pilot, so I also know a little bit about jets.
To operate one you need a pilot, or two (salaries are not cheap), then you have maintenance cost, the cost of keeping the jet at a hanger, then the cost of the jet itself (millions).
This “automotive supplier” who has been living fat off automotive clients is doing the typical justification of what is wrong with the automotive industry.
A tiny midwest agency who’s yearly income isn’t that much more than the gross cost of the jet doesn’t NEED a jet.
And as a former employee, I know that “what is best for the employees” is never a real factor in decisions at Labov & Beyond.
In fact, it is insulting to even read those words!
Summary: The Labov Report is just more Barry Labov justification, hypocrisy, marketing fluff, and spinning. These are all things that Labov & Beyond and Barry Labov are known for. Read The Labov report if you know the company, you will get a good laugh and chuckle.
If you do not know the company then do not bother reading The Labov Report. It is clear that despite everything, Barry Labov still just does not get it!
barry was really happy there for a little while — until he realized that the 7 people reading his blog were actually driven there to laugh because of these posts — he tracks hits to his website with maniacal interest — any single hit and address he thinks will be his next new business opportunity — so i am sure the blog is being tracked the same way — what a laugh — truly as pathetic as it comes — his business is in the toilet and he is in huge trouble — he can’t twitter his way out of this one . . .
Anon the Third is probably right, I remember some of that from my time there. Barry would believe that anyone on his website would be the next big client, but during my time there (almost two years), we lost several clients and did not gain any. I also read on another website that Barry claimed that Labov & Beyond received thousands of request for their employee handbook each year, he made this statement based on webhits. This rationale technically meant that even google wanted the Labov & Beyond Employee Handbook, simply because the google indexer would spider their website. This was just Barry’s lack of understanding of the web and interactive in general, not surprising.
so true, anon, so true — the only web barry understands is the web of lies that he weaves to keep employees and clients in his trance — pathetically, he actually believes his own words
anonTT.
I met someone a few days ago that heard I had worked at Labov & Beyond. This person knew nothing of my direct experiences nor any opinion had of Barry personally, professionally, or the company as a whole (good or bad).
The odd thing is that the person volunteered that his son played on a team that Barry coached (little league as I recall, and I seem to remember this from one of the The Labov Report blogs.
The person stated that Barry always wanted everyone to “feel good”, to the point that it was annoying to everyone. According to this person, within a week everyone wanted Barry to just “Shutup”, especially since he brought no value to ACTUAL job of coaching.
The person went on to state that Barry would never shutup in general, and that he was always running his mouth and how annoying everyone found his personality to be.
I told this person, that although I would not go into any details regarding my history with Labov, I would confirm that Barry is an extremely unique individual and that I also found him personally annoying and many times wanted to tell him to Shutup!
Barry the Giant Sea Worm!
Is Barry a giant sea worm? When I look at the picture I notice that Barry is bald, does not have hair, and has a grotesque appearance.
Barry is slimy, creepy, crawly, and gives people the creeps!
Barry has nasty dripping tenacles coming out of his head.
Barry has a big mouth that devours everything!
Barry likes to hide and Barry likes to pick on things less priveledged or capable of offering a defense.
Barry the giant sea worm would never take on another sea worm, that is not in Barry’s instinct. When meeting another Sea Worm, Barry wants to just aviod the conflict, slither away.
Even the article says that Barry is a menacing monster that has been terrorizing other aquatic life.
Also pointed out in the article is the fact that Barry is covered with nasty bristles that sting and can cause permaments numbness in humans. Wow, that is a thought provoking statement!
One person who saw Barry said “it really does look like something out of a horror movie!”. QUICK RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!
But, there is hope! Justice comes for all, and for all there is justice.
According to the story; “The worm now lives in his own tank.”
IF this author had met Barry, he would just take his boot and make Barry the Giant Sea Worm sludge!
Labov & Beyond was sued three times in 2008, all cases still pending. Additional information suggest that up to 3 more labov & beyond lawsuits are coming in 2009.
I worked as Barry’s personal assistant back when he had just learned what a laptop was, anything he couldn’t figure out was my fault, anything he didn’t understand, was my fault. It taught me a lot of who I didn’t want to work for. My family still refers to “bi-polar” employers as Labovites. Barry would fly out one day after reorganizing the office and accounting and sales structure (never touch art/music/production) and read something on the plane – he’s come back two days later and reorganize again. You never knew who you might report to on any given day……. Management by Whim! He truly is a person who needs to be medicated. He treats everyone like crap on a rotating basis. One day you are a God the next three weeks you are scum.
So glad I am gone.
I just have to say that we are only giving Barry continued power in our lives by even thinking about him. I bet he watches this and loves every bit of it because he’s still affecting us…living in our thoughts and impacting us in even the tiniest of ways. His ego loves the idea that he is so powerful that even across state lines Barry LaBov can “control” some portion of us…
I feel for those who have stayed and committed years to LB…those Barry has beaten down so badly they don’t feel they have anything to offer another company. Self-worth and self-confidence are Barry’s enemies – why should someone else have something he lacks.
Goodbye Barry…
Wow great post!
Management by a whim? Yes, that shocked me the most during my time, it seemed that nobody at Labov & Beyond, including Barry Labov, Ann Jones, Jan Halter, Keith Wells, etc. had any real corporate experience working for a large corporation.
The key issue I see now is false confidence. For years Labovers have believe the company was great. Little did they know that Ann Jones, formerly Ann Ringwalt, married the client of Audi/Volkswagon (Tom Jones). As I recall, both were married at the time they started “their special relationship”. From the eventual marriage came more Volkswagon/Audi business. Eventually Jeff Ford, whom I believe worked under Tom Jones, went to Suzuki and wow Suzuki became a client of Labov.
Over these years, the Labovers believed this business was coming in because they are great. I think even Chris Swymeler had this belief. Chris does good work (he really does), but is it good enough to get national level clients by the truckloads? Good enough to be the Agency of Record for even medium sized clients with 6 figure budgets? Nah.
But this economy has hurt the efforts of Ann Jones, and does she really want to divorce Tom Jones just to find another client?
To “IHaveValue” I say this: I don’t think Barry Labov loves any of it. In fact, I believe he suffers from deep depresssion and emotional roller coasters due to paranoia, self doubt, and general feelings of being inadeqaute. Most peope like him suffer from that and more.
The grape vine says that Labov & Beyond is desperate for clients, feeling deep financial pain, and reaching out to find anyone that will give them business for any reason.
The chickens are comin’ home
to roost, Barry Labov.
You reap the fruit
of your selfish ways.
You’re gonna lose more of your
fancy bribed clients…
and you’re gonna fail your big exam,
because Labov & Beyond is…
This is probably what you meant, but I believe Ann Jones (Ann Ringwalt) was married to Mr. Ringwalt and Tom Jones was married to the former Mrs. Jones (NOT Ann Jones) when the two of them started their special relationship. I also believe that the Labov & Beyond gross revenue almost doubled the next year, as did Ann Jones (Ringwalts) stock in the company. I am not sure how the hiring of Christine Campbell (wife if VW client Clark Cambell) affected Ann Jones (Ringwalt). However, clearly Clark was a client and had worked for/with Tom Jones. Soon after the marriage of Tom and Ann, Christine Campbell was hired, the perception is that it was a favor/kickback to Clark for giving business to Labov. The rumor is that she is paid very well and that most employees, if not all, have nothing good to say about her account management skills. Although, I am sure she takes care of Clark Campbell (her husband and client) very well!
This just in, Chris Swymeler the Creative Director and shareholder at Labov & Beyond has tendered his resignation. This is another example of how Labov & Beyond has been \"blessed\" that key people continue to leave the company and therefore Labov & Beyond has only had to lay off a few people this year. Each person that leaves is not replaced which helps to offset the plummeting gross sales of Labov & Beyond.
So far, Barry Labov has no comment regarding the departure of Chris Swymeler and other key employees.
Talk about a sea of sameness…
http://www.labov.com/who_we_are/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grYmhpCOgrk
Notice one of the videos was produced for Volkswagen as a teaser, and the other is used to tell the viewing audience “who we are” on http://www.labov.com. You can literally play them side by side and the music syncs up.
OMG, thank you SOS for posting that.
My favorite part of the VW video by Labov & Beyond is the screen that says “no imitation”.
Is Labov & Beyond kidding?
I guess Labov & Beyond only imitates themselves? It must be because they are so (sarcasm coming) great and hence worthy of imitation.
I think Labov & Beyond says in their “who we are” video that they do not prescribe off the shelf solutions? But it does seem that Labov & Beyond copies the work that Labov & Beyond does for clients and uses the work for Labov & Beyond.
Now that is…LABOV & BEYOND!
UPDATE and Opinion:
Labov & Beyond is not a best place to work.
Labov & Beyond is not a great place for clients
Labov & Beyond is not a great place to work
Labov & Beyond is not an ethical company
Labov & Beyond is only going “beyond” if BEYOND somehow now means “downward spiral”
Labov & Beyond’s downward spiral could be called a plummet
Jim Buck of Labov & Beyond who hacked the “Labov & Beyond Who We are” video together, is a BAD VIDEO HACKER. LAME LAME LAME LAME LAME.
Heard Labov & Beyond is looking for a CD. I was interested until I started reading this blog. I am a solid CD with experience that aligns with their clients. Should I just run away?
RUN AS FAST AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE – nothing has changed in 15 years and it has only gotten worse…..
Barry Labov of Labov & Beyond is probably looking for a new Labov & Beyond Creative Director due to the departure of Chris Swymeler. Labov & Beyond depends heavily on the creative director to attempt to bring in new cliets and slow down decreasing gross and profits. Labov & Beyond currently employs approximately 30 employees (down from about 50 Labov & Beyond employees just a year ago).
From this site:
Labov & Beyond Creative Director
Is this posting:
LaBov & Beyond, Fort Wayne, IN
Admittedly, we’re looking for a rare bird.
LaBov & Beyond, a marketing communications, advertising and training company headquartered in Fort Wayne, Indiana, has an opening for a Creative Director who can lead our creative teams to the next level. We’re looking for someone who’s a world-class problem solver, a creative spark with an entrepreneurial streak and a sense of humor—someone looking to stretch his or her wings with a new opportunity.
We focus on clients with dealer/distributor networks, a niche that has propelled us to exceptional growth over the last decade or so. Our clients come from a variety of industries—automotive, recreational, trucking, consumer appliance, construction, insurance and finance, to name a few.
If you’re a good fit for us, you’ll bring multiple strengths to the table:
• Creative team management experience. You’ll need at least 7 years industry experience, 3 of those as a creative director. You’ll have a flair for identifying talent, developing it and building a top-notch department. At LaBov, you’ll direct all creative functions, from design and copywriting to video and interactive, including freelance team members. You’ll cultivate and strengthen creative team strategy and design, and set up internal processes that spark amazing conceptual work and spot-on execution. And you’ll be fearless about having difficult conversations—unafraid to straight-talk anyone, whether a client or a coworker.
• Design chops. We’re looking for someone who’s thoroughly talented with print production, including custom publications, but who’s also passionate about electronic media, interactive applications and other leading-edge technology. (Is that a copy of Wired you’re perusing?) And the more you know about strategic use of social media, the more we’d like to talk with you.
• Business strategist. You’ll often work personally with clients’ senior leaders, so your grasp of current business trends and client companies’ strategic issues will be key. As our Creative Director, you’ll help them articulate their messages to their dealers and customers through compelling, sophisticated creative work. Presentation skills and salesmanship will be critical, of course. There’s an internal dimension, too – working with LaBov’s leadership, you’ll help set the overall direction for our business.
On a personal level, you’ll conduct yourself honestly and ethically, with high standards. That’s the culture at LaBov (in fact, we’re a 2008 winner of the Northern Indiana Better Business Bureau’s Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics) and we think the right person will thrive in this environment.
We work hard here, but we play hard, too. If you’ve got a strong work ethic, but understand the importance of downtime in recharging, you’ve come to the right place.
As an educator, mentor, leader and change agent, you’ll help us continue to build a workplace that’s even more rewarding –in every sense of the word. If you’re the rare bird who is all these things, come talk with us. There’s room here to soar.
However, the job listing needs the ‘radio legal speak guy’ at the end:
“‘Company not really ethical. ‘Work hard’ is not subject to equal
compensation. ‘Play hard’ is on your own (forced) time off and not
subject to compensation, must be able to take mental abuse while
praising authority and without compensation. Must be willing to work
for below scale. Poisoned Kool-Aid* must be drank five times a day,
and must tell authority how delicious it is. Job position subject to
position termination or six months whichever comes first.
*Kool-Aid is actually off-brand Flavor-ite. We can’t afford the real
stuff. You will learn this soon enough.”
In all seriousness though…”Work Hard, Play Hard?” Is a phrase that
has been overused since 1987 going to actually attract a CREATIVE
person?
Take it from someone who was there when Barry ‘created’ the idea of ’shareholder’ it isn’t really anything but a way to control the individual in lieu of money etc… to the best of my knowledge there are no legal agreements for shareholders – and now there isn’t any money to share if there were. It’s a sham!
Much like “WhattheF”, I had also considered throwing my hat into the ring for the Creative Director position at Lebov. And, much like “WhattheF”, I started reading these comments. If you’re scoring at home, out of the 50 posts, there were only about 1.5 that had anything good to say about working there. Matt’s alone had me close to getting my resume and promo pieces ready to send to them, but then I read the next 45 posts. If you’re just out of school, the “Grad School” comparison would probably be okay and you probably would learn a lot. But, with 8 years of experience now, if I wanted a “Grad School” experience, I would just go to Grad School, or maybe find another career.
Thanks everyone for your posts and insight on what it is like to work there. I think you saved me from possibly making a huge mistake. I’m unhappy where I am at now. I think that I would have been absolutely miserable there.
Sorry LeBov. I think that I will save my resume, work samples and talent for another agency.
To “NoThanksLB” above:
Probably for the best since you can’t even spell the agency’s name correctly.
Best of luck in your job search!
Thanks Trixie! You’re right. Pretty bad if you can’t even spell the agency’s name correctly. My apologies to Mr. LABov…uh, I guess? It won’t happen again.
A former employee offers a “transalation” to the job posting:
Translation …
You will be bitched out daily by a mad man named Barry. We will suck the creative juices right out of you within the first week, then you should plan to find yourself curled up in a corner rocking yourself to sleep. We are really asking you to fill three positions (but we will only pay you for one). Plan to work 70+ hours a week and at the end of that week you had better ask for more. At the same time we will pay you peanuts and ask you to jump through flaming hoops.
The creative, strategic part comes into play when you try to escape, quit or get fired. Be sure to bring a straight jacket, because if hired, you will be leaving in one!
it has been a while since i have posted – glad to see this string of comments has become THE place for the truth to be found – wish it was more public – oh, now it is! have you checked out glassdoor.com?? look up labov and you will see a review posted. It’s fantastic. everyone needs to put in their own review – they won’t accept any purposeful bashing, but seemingly fair comments make their way through – you can read between the lines on the review that is up there – oh, and interestingly, this poster was smart enough to sneak in a link to this message thread! how genius! let the comments continue to flow!
Hello everyone.
This is Chris Swymeler. The real deal. No “anonymous” titles. No need.
As it is Labor day, I felt the ironic twist to clarify a few comments on this page about me. I am not running FROM LaBov. I am running TO a ministry that I believe I am called to do. Many of you know my faith and convictions, and i hope this makes sense to you. I have appreciated my time at LaBov, and am still continuing to work on a part time basis as they look for the next Creative Director.
As for the other many comments in this blog, I can only say that I see a lot of pain here, and it makes me sad. We all have had different experiences at L&B, and I know it was harder on some than others. I only hope there is healing and that many of you can move on and see the experience is a positive light, someday.
C
FYI, here is the link for glass door:
Labov & Beyond on Glassdoor.com
In response to Chris Swymeler I can only say that I disagree.
I do not see “a lot of pain”, I see a lot of people that are/were fed up with Labov & Beyond, Barry Labov, Keith Wells, Jan Halter, etc. These people are speaking up, speaking out, and sharing their insight.
That is a POSITIVE thing to do and it is part of “healing”. How wonderful is it that we have the Internet as a powerful tool to share out experiences with others? I say VERY POWERFUL.
For those of us that know you, we also know that you have often spoken up in the same regard about Labov & Beyond, Barry Labov, Keith Wells, Jan Halter, etc.
So, Chris, say what you want, but we all know that you share many of the opinions, experiences, and sentiment regarding Labov & Beyond, Barry Labov, Keith Wells, Jan Halter, etc. You are just less likely to do it publicly.
For me, there is no positive light to see my experiences at Labov & Beyond with. I am an adult, I have other experiences before and after and I can absolutely say “it is what it is” and “what it is” is not POSITIVE. I am positive about that.
However, thank you for your opinion and post. I also appreciate your acknowledgement that the “Labov & Beyond experience” was hard on some and I appreciate that you try to only focus on the positive. That is what I have always seen you do and in my mind that is part of the reason you are leaving. I believe you were frustrated that the management at Labov continued to make it difficult for you to find the positive and preach it to your employees and fellow co-workers.
Anon is right, Chris. You have been called by a higher power. Barry may not think so, (he thinks he is the highest power) but we all know your faith. I expect that he will continue to show up at the Chapel, come to give your wife a big hug, and your kids a big hug, looking around him all the while to see if he is being watched by others to try and prove he is a Christian man. We all know what kind of devil he truly is. He doesn’t go to church for himself — he goes for the show. The only satisfaction is that when he reached Judgement Day, he will be given his due. Good for you, Chris, for following your heart. Honestly, it was about time.
Wow, the word on the street months ago was that Byron (the head writer at Labov & Beyond) was demoted and Barry Labov was now the head writer.
Judging from “The Labov Report” it is clear that Barry Labov is out of touch, old and foggyish, and generally needs to step behind the scenes.
The blog has been an utter failure. There are rarely any comments from users, Barry continues to preach the same tired old blurbs that are sure to turn off anyone.
Barry tries to mix business teachings and preschool, the one difference is that his “students” (readers) are much smarter and more knowledgeable than he is.
Lesson #1 for the Labov Report:
Know when to shutup!
This blog thread about Labov and Beyond seems to have gotten a technology upgrade!
The labov report is still the stupidist blog I have ever seen, it is perplexing as to why Labov & Beyond or Barry Labov think it is a worthwhile website for anyone to read.
Has anyone seen the labov & beyond twitter account? It seems that tweet = regurgitate to the folks at Labov and Beyond.
regurgitate defined: feed through the beak by regurgitating previously swallowed food; "many birds feed their young by regurgitating what they have swallowed and carried to the nest"
Or to Barry Labov regurgitate = tweet, same difference I guess.