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Hernando Today

The Blue-Collar Shrink Bringing Corporate Couch To Hernando

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By TONY HOLT

Hernando Today

Published: June 1, 2008

Updated:

SPRING HILL - He once had R.J. Reynolds and Westinghouse among his list of clients.

He had an established practice in Charlotte and New York.

Now he is bringing all of his expertise and all of his energy to Hernando County. The "fixer" has a new address and a new focus on life.

"I consider myself a blue-collar shrink," said David Havland. "I tend to speak the king's English and I like being with ordinary people because that's who I am."

He and his wife, Rhonda, own and operate Havland & Associates, which is described as a "full-service general management consulting firm."

Havland has a Ph.D from the University of Iowa and served an internship at Yale University. He gives sales and marketing advice, offers guidance for hiring new employees and also does his share of damage control and troubleshooting.

"Being a fixer is a big part of what this is about," he said.

There have been times when companies hear his advice, but choose not to heed it. One hiring manager recently rued the day he didn't follow Havland's suggestions about a candidate.

"It's crucial to hire someone with the right personality," he warned. "For a smaller company, it is even more costly to make those mistakes."

He said the company lost $30,000 when they hired someone who lasted for merely two months. They had to pay the employee, who was of a mature age, as a way to assuage him and avoid a lawsuit. They also had to pay the headhunter who placed him with the company.

All along, Havland was telling the bosses not to make the hire.

"I'm low-cost insurance against making a hiring mistake," he said.

Havland offers personality testing to all potential hires. Any local company can pay for his services and he can sit down with the hiring prospect and learn enough about him or her to determine whether that person would make a good fit, he said.

"My job is to match," he said. "It's sort of like being the eHarmony of the workplace."

Havland does not encounter too many companies or potential employees who balk at the prospect of sitting down with him for a personality test. Most of the time, an interview process consists of multiple steps. They fill out an application, meet with a supervisor, meet with another supervisor and then maybe sit down with the president or owner of the company. One more extra step is not an issue.

Havland said his company is unique because they take extra measures to make sure the best information is obtained. He even uses videotape feedback for training sales and customer service employees.

With the job market being what it is, companies should make a special effort to consult with him, he said.

"You have to be particularly alert with unemployment up," Havland warned. "First of all, I show small companies what not to do."

He provides other advice, such as what to do to avoid massive layoffs, how to communicate with employees, unions and customers. Basically, he is a relationship expert.

In his mind, the key to running a successful business is to know how to "manage a whole slew of relationships."

He just started living full-time in the area and he is spending a lot of time marketing himself through the Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce. It's important to him to keep his costs low, especially for the smaller business owner.

"I want to make myself affordable," he said. "I have a commitment to the community. I'm not out to gouge anybody."

Biz at a glance:

Name of biz - Travland & Associates

Owners - David and Rhonda Travland

What it is - Full-service general management consulting firm

Where it is - Spring Hill

Get in touch - 352-232-7032

E-mail - DATravland@aol.com

Reporter Tony Holt can be reached at 352-544-5283 or wholt@hernandotoday.com.

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