We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ruby Newell-Legner. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ruby below.

Ruby, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

After coaching swimming for 20 years, I developed an allergic reaction to the pool air. They called it Hypersensitivity pneumonitis. HP for short. The doctors told me if I wanted to get healthy, I needed to get out of that environment. So, I decided if I couldn’t coach on the pool deck, perhaps I could coach somewhere else. I managed swimming pools in addition to coaching because you can’t make a living as a swim coach. So I moved over to recreation facility management and fell in love with training new staff members. I had gone to college to be a teacher, so I was already trained as an educator. I took the Dale Carnegie class and learned about the National Speakers Association (NSA). I attended NSA Colorado Chapter meetings and realized there was an actual profession called professional speaking. My mentor from NSA-CO referred me to work with the Denver Broncos when they were building a new stadium and that led to me working with 67 professional sports teams over 29 years.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My company was originally named RubySpeaks. Then after providing training in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and getting to stay at the Burj Al Arab, frequently referred to as a 7 star hotel. I renamed my company 7 Star Service. Since 2005 I have been to Dubai to train multiple clients, 17 times.

The idea of 7 Star Service came to me on a long, long flight home from Dubai. I had spent more than 2 weeks with the Jumeirah Group at the properties they manage, including the Burj Al Arab, a hotel like none other in the world. You might recognize it. It was designed in the shape of a sail and was built on an island in the Persian Gulf.

I gained a new perspective on what it meant to be customer focused during that trip. They do an incredible job of anticipating guests’ needs and giving them a reason to return. It began when I was greeted at the airport with a bouquet of orchids and was escorted to a Rolls Royce for a ride to the hotel. It was 112 degrees Fahrenheit that day, and inside the car was a bottle of cold water and a cool, damp cloth. They also offered me a selection of primarily American music from which to choose to listen for the ride.
When we arrived at the hotel, I was escorted to a beautiful sitting area in the lobby and offered dates and a washcloth for my hands. An associate came to me to tell me about my room and escorted us upstairs. In our room, which was beautiful, we were served an exquisite high tea by my very own butler!

These were just my experiences in the first few hours with them. The same level of guest service continued throughout my stay. I had so many exceptional experiences there; I wanted to capture everything they did right. So I began to make a list. As I refined the list, I pulled in lessons from all of the other clients I had worked with over the years. Thus, was born the 7 Star Service model.

Although I specialize in the sports, leisure, and entertainment industry, the same customer service philosophy applies to all businesses. “Your employees will treat your customers the way you treat your staff. Creating a culture where your representatives can thrive is the key to success with your customers.” – RNL

My 7 Star Service solutions have amplified brands and bottom lines. I have inspired new service cultures for executives, managers, and frontline staff; promoted loyalty and retention – with employees and customers – for 1695 facilities in 25 countries, including:
• 760 Camping Facilities
• 400 Municipal and County Governments
• 155 Leisure & Entertainment Facilities (amusement parks, waterparks, ski areas, zoos, recreation centers, casinos)
• 98 Stadium & Arenas
• 67 Professional Sports Teams
• 61 Schools, Universities, Colleges, and Military Installations
• 15 5-7 Star Hotels, including her namesake in Dubai, the Burj Al Arab
• 13 Performing Arts Facilities and Amphitheaters
• 10 Convention Centers
• 6 International Sporting Events (Olympics, Super Bowl, US Open)

After Jeff Vinik bought the team, I applied those lessons while working with the Tampa Bay Lightning Hockey team. We started with 4,000 Season Ticket members and increased them to 14,000 Season Ticket Members. By following my 7 Star Service Proprietary process, we moved the team from #85 to the #1 position in ESPN Fan Experience rankings of 122 professional sports franchises.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

After getting sick and changing jobs, I knew I wanted to quit my full-time job as a recreation facility manager and become a professional speaker. Still, I knew it wasn’t wise to do that without a plan, so I started volunteering on the side to do training for other organizations for no fee to get experience. I used all my nights, weekends, and sometimes vacation days to provide over 200 free training sessions for other recreation agencies throughout Colorado. My department heads knew what I was doing and soon asked if I would provide training for departments within my agency. One day, my boss’ supervisor called me into our executive director’s office, asked me to sit down, and shut the door. I was immediately concerned I was in trouble but soon learned that they liked what I was doing, were aware that I wanted to quit my job and do it full time, and wanted to hire me to be an outside consultant to do it for them.

For the next 3 years, I had a consistent contract to develop and deliver training to all recreation and park district departments. I was allowed to provide training for other agencies for pay. That allowed me to develop programs, gain training experience, establish clients, and not starve. I am forever grateful for the advice from my colleagues at the National Speakers Association, who said don’t quit your day job without a plan.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

Discovering the National Speakers Association (NSA) was a true blessing for my career. During my first meeting at a local chapter in Denver, I watched a speaker give a mesmerizing keynote. She captivated the audience with her story. Every word was perfect, and she had the audience in the palm of her hands. I wanted to be able to do that.

After being a member for 29 years, I can say that NSA is the most important key to my success without reservation. Although I learn many lessons by attending the meetings, the community teaches me the most. My fellow members are my best friends, cheerleaders, confidants, and counselors when things don’t go well. We teach each other techniques and offer tools and resources. Together we navigate this wild profession and share lessons along the way.

I became so passionate about the profession that I served on the local board for 7 years, was nominated to serve on the national board, and was elected as National President in 2015-16. I now serve as Vice President of the Global Speakers Federation, helping speakers association worldwide serve their members to benefit just like I did.

I feel truly blessed to find a community of like-minded, caring souls who have helped me make a difference in the world.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.7starservice.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/7starservice/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/7StarService/
• Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/RubyNewellLegner
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/7StarService