Worcester Business Journal

16 Worcester Business Journal | January 6, 2020 | wbjournal.com B E S T O F B U S I N E S S E M P L O Y E E S E R V I C E S W MindSetGo helps companies train employees BY GRANT WELKER Worcester Business Journal News Editor I t was around when Mark Altman was at his lowest when he discov- ered he had a knack for some- thing, which would send him off on a rising career trajectory. Altman was working as an assistant banquet manager at a hotel, a minimum wage job he said sustained him with the help of food stamps. He had to support not only himself but a baby when he unexpectedly became a father at 23. It was while working at the hotel Altman said he learned how to confi- dently and effectively communicate. He saw how poorly people could treat each other. He wanted to be a champion for those who were judged or overlooked. at led to a job in sales – which entailed more helping and interacting with people – and eventually to his own consulting business. Today, that business has grown from a part-time consulting gig to MindsetGo, a business providing professional con- sulting and coaching to companies far beyond its Westborough base to include those even outside the U.S. who've come upon MindSetGo through referrals. Altman and his small staff of two part-timers and two contractors work with a variety of companies in a range of sizes, and they're able to do it in large part because of what Altman says nearly any of a company's major issues comes down to: a communication breakdown. at applies whether it's related to revenue growth, client reten- tion, employee engagement, culture or leadership, he says. MindsetGo's corporate training can be heavily involved, though. e firm has custom behavioral and competency assessments used to help guide what may be a year-long program with monthly trainings and progress reports in between. e track of the training program is oen tweaked based on those progress updates. If Altman is speaking, he wants to make sure the audience is listening closely, not taking notes. He provides the notes for them later on. "It's a form of experiential learning," he said. Altman has found companies are increasingly choosing training or moti- vational programs as a way to do better by their employees. It used to be more companies were conducting training in reaction to, say, high turnover. But with a low unemployment rate increasing competition for skilled workers, more employers are viewing training as a way to keep their teams in place, Altman said. BEST PROFESSIONAL TRAINING COMPANY MindsetGo Inc. Westborough, mindsetgo.com & mindsetgrow.org Top executive: Founder & CEO Mark Altman Founded: 2015 Employees: 3 Mark and Karyn Wagner, owners of Mercedes-Benz of Shrewsbury BEST HEALTH INSURANCE PROVIDER Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts* Headquartered in Boston, with offices in Worcester, Quincy and Hingham home.bluecrossma.com Top executive: President & CEO Andrew Dreyfus Founded: 1937 BEST LUXURY AUTOMOBILE DEALERSHIP Mercedes-Benz of Shrewsbury* wagnermercedesofshrewsbury.com Top executive: General Manager Marshal Cabot Founded: 1980 Employees: 200 With more than 38 years of specialized care for Mercedes-Benz customers, this dealership prides itself on tracking down whatever inventory its clients want. Its team provides the best available price right at the start to avoid the need for long, uncomfortable negotiations. Notable runner-up: Lexus of Northborough BEST COLLEGE FOR BUSINESS EDUCATION Nichols College* Dudley, www.nichols.edu Top executive: President Susan West Engelkemeyer Founded: 1815 Employees: 357 Nichols College offers a career-focused business and leadership education, includ- ing a professional development program, with a 96% employment rate for graduates. New opportunities include course-embed- ded professional certifications and stu- dent-run consulting projects. Notable runners-up: Assumption College, Worcester State University Employees: 3,800 Blue Cross' commitment to diversity and inclusion at every level is central to its cul- ture and values. At Blue Cross, 72% of associates are women, and more than 50% of the board of directors are people of color or women. Notable runners-up: Fallon Health, Tufts Health Plan BEST FINANCIAL PLANNING/INVESTMENT SERVICES FIRM Provo Wealth Management Group* Shrewsbury, www.provowealth.com Top executive: President & CEO Christopher Provo Founded: 1992 Employees: 9 Blue Cross volunteers working at Girls Inc. in Worcester. MindsetGo Founder Mark Altman (center) with trainees from one of his programs.

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