Lisa Shore, founder of Shore Success, joins GTLE to break down why technical excellence alone no longer differentiates IT organizations—and what leaders must do instead.
Lisa shares the moment her own managed services company lost a 10-year client, not because of technology failures, but because the client felt unrecognized and processed like “just another ticket.” That experience reshaped how she thinks about branding, leadership, and client experience in technical organizations.
She introduces her BRAND framework—Behavior, Respect, Appearance, Networking, and Dynamic Dialogue—and explains how these elements create trust, credibility, and long-term client relationships. From phone skills and uniforms to tone of voice and nonverbal cues, Lisa shows how small details shape value judgments faster than any proposal or tech stack.
The episode includes concrete examples, including a firm that doubled gross revenue over a few years by setting clearer goals, running consistent QBRs, standardizing appearance, and improving communication—without changing its technical offerings. Lisa also explains why soft skills must be documented, trained, and reinforced just like operational systems.
What you’ll learn:
Why clients leave even when the tech works
How soft skills become a scalable leadership system
Why perception determines whether you’re seen as a vendor or advisor
How to operationalize communication, not leave it to chance
