How To A Culture Of Learning Across Your Entire Organization: Damon Lembi - Learn It

This is the Beyond the Story podcast, a show that goes way beyond the story. And now Sebastian Frost Damon. Welcome to the show.

Sebastian, it's great to be here. Thanks for having me.

It's great to have you here, dude. Thanks for taking some time out of your day to hang out with me for just a few minutes here to chat about what you do and tell your story a little bit. So, for context, let's dive right in. Let's help our listeners better understand a little bit more about you and your backstory.

So sure my backstory is. I'm Damon Lembe, born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, grew up. Sports was really the number one thing in my life. I got drafted out of high school by the Atlanta Braves, had a big choice, decided to go play baseball instead Excuse me, play baseball. I picked a scholarship at Pepperdine University instead of going the minor league route, and you know, it got hurt, moved on to Arizona State, played there and then, you know, sebastian, like a lot of people, a lot of baseball players, I thought that I was ready for the next level. I had to get drafted. And here I am, 22 years old and my dreams of being a baseball player, you know, my identity was over with, you know, and so it was time to move on and I had to do something else. I'm really fortunate. I come from a family that has had a lot of successful businesses, great entrepreneurs. My father, who unfortunately passed away 10 years ago, 12 years ago we had a large real estate company, a hotel chain, and at the time he was starting and I'm dating myself, but this is back in 1995. He was starting a computer training company called Learnit and, like a lot of great entrepreneurs, he just went to solve his own problem. You know he wanted to digitize our portfolio real estate. He thought the class was long and boring and he's like there's got to be a better way to do this. So he called the old CFO of our savings loan and said I want to make classes short and exciting and fun. And that's where Learnit was born. I didn't know if I had any skills, I just got done with school and so I started at the reception as a receptionist there. I wanted to prove to everybody that you know I wasn't just put in daddy's company and at the top, and fast forward seven years. I moved up, did sales, taught classes, became a CEO. And here we are 28 years later and Learnit's great. We're now a full corporate trading company and we have upskilled over 1.8 million people in the last 28 years. So it's been a pretty fun, interesting journey. And earlier this year I wrote a book about my. It's called the Learn it All Leader and it's a book just kind of about what I learned from playing from some Hall of Fame baseball coaches that I've carried over into my professional career.

Yeah, I got to ask who's your baseball team.

Well, the Giants, San Francisco Giants.

Okay, I was going to say you're in the Bay Area. So is it the Giants, or did you take a liking to the Braves?

Well, I like the Braves because they're a client of Learnit's, so of course I like them, sure, but local guy Giants I got to know Barry Bonds really well back in the day, yeah. But I'm kind of bummed that the Giants didn't sign Otani. But apparently he said he didn't like the homeless problem here, so I decided to go to Los Angeles instead for $700 million.

Yeah, I mean, I guess at that point you can pick and choose what type of neighborhood environment you really want. I guess, when you have those those type of numbers going, I'm a I'm a Chicago Cubs fan because I like pain.

Hey, but the Cubs got a great stadium you know they do Great, great ballpark, you know, throwback to the old days I've been there, you know there and Fenway. So yeah, I like the Cubs, I like the Cubs too. I can't not like it, I mean you go to.

You got a Wrigley field during a Cubs game. You think it's the world series and then you look at their record and you're like, oh, okay. Yeah so uh, we picked up somebody not too long ago so I'm pretty excited about it. I didn't get the memo on there, but when my buddy texts me he's like hey, did you hear the news about the Cubs? We got somebody on a 10 year deal. I'm like they do 10 year deals in baseball.

Hey, well, that guy with Tony signed a 10 year deal and I don't know if you saw that, but he's deferring 680 million of it over 20 years.

Smart man, maybe yeah, maybe not, I don't know. No, at that point you're like all right, I don't even know if I can spend all this money in a lifetime. It's unbelievable, it really is. So let's dive in a little bit to the line, for you know someone that's not familiar with the corporate learning space on here. What exactly do you guys do for corporations and brands?

So basically what we do is companies turn to us when they're looking to, let's say, upskill new managers. Let's say people get promoted for the first time from an individual contributor role to a manager role and they need a new skill set. So we do, we do cohorts and live virtual training from everything from you know how to how to be give better feedback, how to how to coach employees to even you know how to teach a Microsoft Excel, you know how to better use Microsoft Excel, and we typically work with HR departments, chief of people, and you know it's been, it's been great. You know you kind of get to see behind the curtain how these organizations are run and kind of have be able to have an impact on. You know some of the directions that they go on and helping some of their. You know, mostly we focus on, I'd say, mid managers because that's where a lot of the work gets done. So that's where we focus.

And then so 28 years, that's. You know, that's a long time I was. I was two years old when you I'm kidding, I'm kidding. One could only wish I'm 44.

So I was, I'm 51. All right, I can't believe it.

I'm 44, feeling 24. I don't know about you, but feeling, I feel 32. So, how did technology play into all of this? As you know, it continued to unfold over the past 28 years, but then, as you knew, as you know, you know, with the onset of social media 15 plus years ago, it really started to accelerate things.

So how did, how did things start to change for for you guys, on that, on that technology front, Well, you know, prior to the pandemic, we were already doing some virtual instructor led trading classes instead of just in person. You know we were about 80% in person, 20% virtual. When the pandemic happened, you know, we were able to flip pretty quickly and now we do about 80% and the experience and I'm sure, just like in podcasting is so much better, so much better now than it was when we're using Adobe connect and everything and Skype, you know, and so a lot of it is obviously really changed. And then, on the, on the technology front, you know we do a lot of Microsoft office trading and I think the cloud has been a, has been a game changer. You know, getting everybody into the cloud. You know off-premise front for their technology, it's easier to access. You could, you could be more flexible and as far as people, you know, believe it or not, our Excel classes fill out, sell out every week, you know. So a lot of people think, well, you could go to, you go to YouTube and learn Excel. You do this. That sure, but bottom line is people still need to learn those types of skills. And the next phase with you know, ai, I think I'm a, I'm a fan of AI and I think it's going to be interesting to see how that correlates and, you know, goes alongside technology training, courseware development. They're already saying that. Like developing a course, sebastian for us, takes about 40 hours. Now, with AI, you could probably take that number down from 40 hours to maybe 14 hours, which is a huge savings. Yeah, time.

Absolutely. Yeah, it's. It's always been said, especially over the past few years, about AI and the onset of it. Use the word onset a lot that must be my Thursday word but it's a tool, you know. It can replace a lot of jobs and things that are happening. Absolutely, but I don't think that You're ever going to replace human interaction, actual human interaction with, because this whole idea of robots is just absolutely terrifying. You see that, you see the la game with the, with the robots in the audience.

No, I heard about it because it weren't they. They're trying to like, I guess, sense people's reactions or something. Yeah, yeah.

It's. They're just sitting there like a bunch of fans, just two robots just right in front of you. I'm like, did you imagine your seats being right next to them or behind them? But it's clear, they're sitting there and studying human behavior. Yeah, at a, at a live sporting event, which is just crazy. But my point is, I don't think that we're ever gonna go well. Instead of having to deal with that person, we'll deal with a robot instead. So AI being a tool and being able to leverage that tool to make the product even better, I think is one of the best parts about artificial intelligence. Have you guys already started to integrate some AI into what you guys do?

So, first of all, when people come to me and they say, oh, is AI gonna take your job? You know I said I don't. I don't believe AI is gonna take your job. I think people that learn how to leverage AI they're the ones who are gonna take your job, you know, because they're gonna be able to leverage these tools and get themselves ahead. Yes, we've, we've started to integrate it into our content. You know co-pilot, which is recently released from Microsoft. You know we were teaching that in classes, but mostly behind the scenes. You know, like, like everybody else, it took me a little bit of a while to get my Instructural designers to feel comfortable, you know, in using and could. They just wanted to do it themselves, but now they're like, man, this, this saves us a bunch of time and it's not like you can't just type in a couple words. You know, build a class of emotional intelligence and let it happen. You know it just starts the conversation really, you know, and it just it helps. So, yeah, I try to. I'm a big fan of it and I try to get get my team to leverage it, like myself, as much as possible.

What? What's gonna be on the on? I'm not using the word on, said again, I caught myself there. Your Thursday word, yeah, it's my Thursday word Guy walks into a bar. So what, what? What do you guys excited?

about for.

What are you guys excited about for 2024? What's gonna be added to the mix and your existing offering of what you guys are already doing?

So I think what's gonna be exciting or adding to the mix is you know, we you can't just come in, take a class on how to, how to be better at giving feedback and then think, oh, I got this worked out. You know we're adding in some gamification, potentially a virtual reality. You know steps like along the way that could help with the retention. And we got this whole new thing around habit building. I'm not fully versed in it yet, we're at the onset of Habit building, but just just more to like make it more than just, hey, let's take a class or two and go from there. It's like how to help retain, retain what you learned and and Move on.

Yeah so when it comes to acquiring new clients, you got to be guys in. Have been in business a very, very long time, is it been? Is there, is there any outbound and outreach and and business development that happens in order to acquire new clients, or how do you guys continue to grow the business in the brand?

100%. I'm a, I'm a. I'm a more of a sales guy than a marketing guy, but I think you need both. You know we have. We have about 70 employees. We have about 12 sales reps. I'm a big fan of the three gentlemen we follow the most for sales or a jet blunt, you know, fanatical prospecting. Mike Weinberg, sales simplified. And Anthony on the run oh, I butcher his name. So, yeah, we have a new business team and we have an account management team. The new business team. They're actually out there making calls, you know, and so I know a lot of and and they are, you know, they're, they're younger generation. When sometimes younger generation is like now Nobody makes calls anymore, hey, but you know what it works. It still works, you know, and so the goal is to Get on a call. You know, and just you know, hey, this is so, and so, from learn it, I want to share with you some insights we have. Can we book another time, you know, next week, to learn more about what you're learning development needs are and that that's how we generate our new business and what would you say has been the biggest lesson over the past 28 years that you've personally experienced with, with the business you I'd say the biggest lesson that I've experienced over the last 28 years is that if you're going to have a successful business, you got to build a great team and surround yourself with great people. You know, and you got to continually have an open mind and innovate. You know you can't just be status quo, do the same thing, so, you know, just get polarized. You know, get stepped on. So I think that's one of the things that I'm most proud of the talent we've been able to acquire. You know, especially at a tough market like San Francisco, you know, with all the companies around here, you know. So hire great talent, give them the space they need to be successful and continually find ways to do things differently. I wouldn't be able to be here 28 years if it was just the same thing over and over. I'd lose my mind.

Yeah, absolutely. You constantly have to innovate to be able to stay relevant, because you're exactly right, I love that. If you don't, if you, just if you fall victim to. This is the way we've always done things. There is always going to be something or someone that's going to come along and, like you said, absolutely polarized what you have been doing, because there's always a better solution, because we're constantly evolving and that's the most exciting part you know about life. Well, man, it's been great to learn more pun intended about what you guys, what you guys do. I'm a little more candid on my, on my podcast interviews because, as a, I'm a comedian as well, so you know for me to be able to take a comedic jab every now and then attempt at one or just I think.

I think being a comedian is a tough job and I've. I have a good friend, dean Delray, who went through the grind, and I'm really proud of what he's been able to accomplish. I mean, it's a brutal job. Good for you for sticking your neck out there and getting out of your comfort zone and doing it.

Like, well, I mean, I've been speaking for 15 years and I could, but comedy terrified me. So I finally had a guy on the show started a Miami comedy scene down here and it was like hey, man, just come out to an open mic next week and there's no way you're not going to be good at this. So I get there and he's like all right, you're third up. I'm like on the open mic list. He's like no, in the showcase, don't bomb. And I nailed it. I did like a seven minutes set and I don't have. I'm not really keen into. Let's go chase that next open mic or show. And I want to be a comedian type deal. But what I have been able to do is when I'm booked to speak and the client finds out I'm a comedian, they're like hey, I know your talks on Tuesday, do you mind roasting the attendees tomorrow night before the cocktail party? So it's become that keynote comedy combo type deal and I'm still trying to integrate. You know the two together. But you're exactly right.

First on the set of the roasting. Is the roasting ever go the wrong way, like when they get pissed Because you know you offended somebody before you? Keynote.

Thankfully, I don't do like large corporate where you're really going to get your hand slapped. I go more towards the unconventional experiences. Sometimes there are conferences and things of that nature, but everybody's pretty cool and I I'm fully immersed, you know, with the experience. So after my talk I'm hanging out and whatever activities are, I'm not the guy that talks, talks and runs back to his room. So I've already started to build some rapport. I'm already cracking jokes before, during and after because I can't help myself. So by the time it's. One of the ones that came to mind was they're not always a roast. Sometimes it's just you want to do a set and I'll do a you know five or ten minutes set. But I was in Cancun in April for a gig. I know nice, terrible right. And it was a group of realtors for a, for a virtual assistant company, and he said, yeah, can you roast our group of realtors? And I'm like I have been training all of my life for this and yeah, I woke up. I woke up that morning. I was supposed to kick the day off with the comedy set, which is wildly awkward at nine o'clock in the morning, but whatever, yeah, we're in Cancun.

You're in can.

I could bring a beer with me at 9 am, you know. So I I woke up and I had no voice. So I said, hey, I know this, joe, I need to just rest this thing all day and we'll see if we can do something towards the end of the day. Well, I rested it all day. That evening we were going to a show, circus O Lay, and it was 45 minutes away, and we got on one of those big tour buses and the guy got up and he's like welcome to Cancun. It's about a 45. And everyone's like, oh, they got a microphone, sebastian, let's go. And I was like all right, you guys want some. So I did a 10 minute set on the bumpy roads of Cancun to point point boy of I art, I think it was maybe and Ended up pulling that off and in roast and some realtors, which it was good. Has it ever gone south?

You know what Realtors are easy to roast? I'm looking keep. Like I said, I grew up in a fan, a big real estate family. I know. I know a lot of realtor's. They're very easy audience.

Yes, they definitely are. I started with their business. I started with their business cards and the pictures on their business cards.

Yeah, of course.

But yeah, it's good there. There are worse things than making people laugh. You know, Making people laugh and then getting to start a podcast. I agree well, david's been great to To meet you and to chat with you, learn more about what you guys have built here over the past 28 years. I want to encourage you to keep up the great work. It's clear you guys have created something that the world needs, that corporations need, so keep rocking and rolling With all that. Any final thoughts for our listeners?

My final thoughts are like we talked about earlier Don't don't have a know-it-all mentality. Always be open and flexible and willing to try new things and get out of your comfort zone, because that's where, true, that real growth happens.

Absolutely great final thoughts. I could not agree more. Thanks again for your time, damon. I really appreciate it, brother. Thanks, man, until next time. Friends, thanks so much for tuning into this episode of the beyond the story podcast. Be sure to appreciate it. If you haven't done so already, make sure you're subscribed to the show. This way, you'll get updates as new episodes become available. If you feel so inclined, please Leave us a review. Be sure to appreciate it. Signing off from the podcast launch labcom studios. We'll talk to you next time.