Concept Technology Inc. Vice President of Finance and Business Operations Megan Long leads the business operations and business development teams and is responsible for the company’s financial and operational performance.
Where is your favorite one-day trip or destination if you want to get out of town? With all of the construction, new attractions and restaurants popping up each week, just going to downtown Nashville feels like a new experience every time. We’ve even done staycations during events like the NFL Draft just to experience our own city a little differently.
Fill in the blanks: The biggest threat to Nashville is disproportionate rise in cost-of-living compared to wages because talent is being forced to live farther and farther outside of city limits to find affordable housing, and companies …are being stretched to pay competitive salaries outside of their typical budgets.
What is your favorite beverage or cocktail, and what does it say about you? It’s a tie between a Negroni or craft IPA. I think it says that I can appreciate both a Bogart film and an NFL game? Or maybe just that I enjoy bitter things.
Imagine you were writing your autobiography. What’s the title? “Winning With the Hand You’re Dealt.”
What unique habit or quirk makes you “extra”? Waking up at 3:30 a.m. every morning is definitely “extra.” My husband loves that alarm going off. I’m in the gym from 4:30-6:30 a.m., and because of my Hashimoto’s disease, I need to get up even earlier to take medications. It’s definitely a strict routine to have that early in the morning!
What is Nashville missing for young professionals and young families? Transportation options! I grew up a block away from a Metra stop just outside of Chicago, so I was always a safe, cheap train-ride away from anywhere I wanted to go. I really wish there were similar options for both commuters and families here.
Fave day at work: At Concept Technology we believe in giving new hires the “Best First Day Ever.” On everyone’s first day, we roll out the red carpet to celebrate our new team member and introduce them to our award-winning culture. Well, I started prior to this initiative in late December. Many were out of the office on Christmas vacation, and overall it was a pretty lackluster first day. For my birthday last year, my incredible teams decided to throw me a surprise “First Day Re-Do,” and put me through the entire onboarding celebration. I had a welcome sign above my desk, personalized gifts and even a note for my husband! It was such an overwhelming gesture that I’ll never forget.
Rules for working away from work: At a high-growth entrepreneurial company in fast-changing industry, I don’t think there is such a thing as “off the clock,” but I wouldn’t have it any other way! I do have self-imposed rules for my outbound communication, though. I try to be careful about not emailing anyone on the team on nights or weekends. I don’t want anyone to feel obligated to reply or feel pressure to work extra hours just because I shot off an email at an odd hour.
Tech that changed my life: Far from new, but migrating to the Office 365 platform was a game-changer for my productivity. Our teams collaborate much more easily and communicate more efficiently. Everything is so mobile and integrated! I tinkered with apps like Evernote and Trello to keep my work organized, but OneNote has replaced all of those (and I’m still blown away that I can take a picture of a whiteboard and have the information converted and saved in my notes).
If I could change the workweek: I’ve seen a lot of benefit to dedicating time each week to work “off campus.” A few uninterrupted hours away from the office allow me to zone-in and make progress on the company’s big rocks (a la Stephen Covey). This of course doesn’t work for all roles, but for those in positions of senior leadership I think an occasional change in scenery and eliminating drive-by interruptions is necessary.
Company: Concept Technology Inc.
Title: Vice president of finance and business operations
Age: 30
Email: mlong@concepttechnologyinc.com
Education: Belmont University
