Jackie Zha
During COVID-19, while most of my friends were getting ready for a long break at home, my dad had a different plan for me. Instead of spending the summer relaxing, he brought me to work with him at his company, where I got my first real look at how a business operates.
My first role was simple: I was a scanner. I waited for pickers to bring orders to the fulfillment area, scanned barcodes, and labeled boxes. At first, it felt repetitive, but as the number of SKUs grew, I realized how much accuracy, consistency, and communication mattered. Eventually, I became the only scanner in a new warehouse, which meant I had to train my own replacements before going back to school. One employee I trained, Yaya, spoke very little English but had a strong work ethic and determination. As I reflect on that experience, I realize that the hardest part was figuring out how to communicate clearly, simplify complicated tasks, correct mistakes without discouraging people, and recognize the potential in someone before it was obvious. I am proud to say I trained Yaya six years ago, and she still works at my dad's company today.
Over the years, those warehouse visits became part of my routine. By summer 2022, my role shifted from scanner to my dad's assistant as he began implementing company-wide changes. A few major changes I noticed was the addition of KPI systems, core values, and structured heart-to-heart meetings. At first, I didn't understand why any of these changes mattered. But by summer 2023, I started to see the benefits of these changes. My biggest takeaway was the importance of a company culture, specifically a culture where people feel accountable and motivated.
Following my dad's company year after year gave me a foundation in operations, leadership, and company culture. It taught me how to identify inefficiencies, understand people dynamics, and create goals that motivate the team in the same direction. More importantly, it led me to co-found Keylow Consulting as a way to bring thoughtful support and fresh solutions to businesses and nonprofits facing challenges that may feel impossible to overcome. Keylow Consulting also means a lot more than finding solutions; for me, it is also a learning journey of successes and failures that I want to explore in order to become a better business owner myself. With Keylow Consulting, I hope that all companies are able to realize that anything is lowkey possible.