By Lea Anne Brandon, GJB Managing Editor

If the baby is ugly, Stephenie Hinson isn’t afraid to say that the baby is ugly. Such blatant honesty in assessing even the most troublesome of situations coupled with her ability to graciously deliver sometimes unsavory criticism is exactly the skill set that makes this Clinton native a highly sought-after workforce consultant and corporate trainer.

“I have no problem calling it like I see it,” admits Hinson, CEO and President of the newly established Apeiron Consulting and Training. “The truth is that a bad situation is never going to improve if you sugar-coat everything. I do try to approach the truth with some tact and decorum. It is not always a comfortable situation, but in the end, it is almost always appreciated.”

Because she is hired as an “outside” consultant who comes into an existing workplace to resolve employee problems and other workforce issues, Hinson says that she is able to speak the truth with a veracity and authority that those already employed by the company might not be able to accomplish.

“The greatest advantage to hiring an outsider to do what I do rather than an insider is that those on the payroll are so mired in the corporate politics and are sometimes so afraid of crossing the wrong person that getting a straight answer and giving someone an answer he may not want to hear is oftentimes impossible,” she says. “I don’t have that worry because I don’t have to play office politics.” Another benefit of hiring an outside consultant over assigning a current employee to do problem-solving or training is that it is more cost-effective for the employer. “You only work for a particular company until your task is completed. Then you move on to the next challenge. You’re not having to pay (an outside consultant) benefits which is a big savings,” Hinson notes.

Apeiron Consulting and Training markets Hinson’s services to companies and employers who want to boost employee performance and productivity. She also coaches business executives and managers on their presentation, inter-personal, communication, supervisory and team-building skills; develops on-the-job training programs; implements corporate culture programs; offers one-on-one professional development coaching services and facilitates workshops and corporate meetings. She says the benefits of training and development to a company include increased productivity, reduced employee turnover, increased efficiency that results in financial gains and a decreased need for supervision.

Hinson, who currently divides her professional career between her hometown of Clinton and her parallel operations outside of Atlanta, said she thrives on the challenges of contracting with a company that needs her help in boosting employee morale, performance and productivity or in saving countless dollars from wasted work efforts and under-trained workers.

“It appeals to all of my senses,” she says, admitting that she counteracts stress-inducing situations with a quick wit and injection of humor. “As a consultant, I get to be creative because the picture is always changing. Standing in front of a classroom, you get to see your baby come to life, if you will. You can see the fruits of your labors. You see what works and you see what doesn’t so you can adjust.”

Hinson says her educational background and her Southern upbringing combined to prepare her well to succeed in an often male-dominated corporate culture. She earned a Masters degree in Workforce Training and Development from the University of Southern Mississippi and an undergraduate degree in Communication from Mississippi College. She is also certified or qualified to host leadership development tools such as Myers Briggs Type Indicator and The Oz Principle.

“I’m a jokester,” Hinson admits. “I like to have fun. I know how to laugh at myself and to get others laughing as well. I can be very serious and professional when the situation calls for it, but I like to have fun too. I think if people can enjoy what they are doing, they do a better job and learn more too,” explaining that she enjoys the challenge of putting her audience at ease before tackling the difficult issues of workplace dynamics and job training.

Before founding Apeiron Consulting and Training earlier this year, Hinson was in charge of the training program for the plywood division of Georgia Pacific. During her tenure at Georgia Pacific, she was responsible for the design and delivery of employee, management and leadership development programs. During her tenure there, Hinson says she was able to:

• Save the company more than $200,000 by successfully facilitating training regarding company core values and beliefs including corporate management, facility management, departmental supervisors, and union and non-union employees.
• Orchestrate the development and implementation of maintenance skill assessment and technical training efforts for more than 250 craft personnel with a potential savings of $600,000.
• Establish training metrics, training policy and key control strategies that streamlined the training process and enhanced decision making.
• Improve area manager annual evaluations by providing on-going professional coaching.

Hinson says she now wants to produce those same results for private industry across the Southeast.

“I am working to build my client base in the Metro Jackson market and the Atlanta, Georgia, area,” she explains. “Even in these difficult economic times, I think business leaders recognize the importance of sharpening skills and improving employee satisfaction and productivity.”

Hinson is now working with Halo Business Advisors to brand her new company and establish a professional online presence to market her consulting and training skills. She named her company Apeiron, an ancient Greek word that means “without limits either external or internal” because she believes that infinite and boundless possibilities exist for growth and development.

“It is a perfect fit,” she says of the company name.

Hinson preaches that, during an economic downtown or a recession, business and industry leaders with foresight understand that it is the perfect time to invest in the training or retraining of workers so they will be able to take on the new challenges that a financial crisis creates. “And it positions them for improved productivity when the economy does recovery,” she adds.

Hinson says businesses are trending toward the recognition that stellar customer service and a satisfied workforce are indispensable in today’s tough business environment.

“We’re in a new economy. Customers want instant satisfaction. We want it now. We want it fast and we want people to treat us with respect,” she says, pointing to the Chic-Fil-A restaurant chain as a shining example of a corporate culture that successfully places customer satisfaction as its top priority.

“In an economy where most restaurants are hurting if not failing, they are thriving. What sets them apart from everyone else is their outstanding customer service. Chic-Fil-A really gets it,” Hinson observes. “Over the past 10 years, while others are shutting down and losing money, they have doubled the number of employees they have. Being good stewards and making customer service their priority works.”

Hinson says that Apeiron Consulting and Training will mimic those same traits…and that her clients will be the beneficiaries.