Podcast Summary: "Employee Appreciation - Finding those little pockets of gems"

Podcast: Your Next Move
Host: Inc. Magazine, presented by Capital One Business
Date: October 14, 2025
Guest: Ebony Wilkins, President & CEO of Ilus Management Consulting (Inc. 5000 Rank #294)
Interviewer: Allie Donaldson, Inc. Staff Reporter

Episode Overview

This episode centers on employee appreciation and cultivating resilient, growth-minded teams in government consulting—a notoriously competitive and changing sector. Ebony Wilkins shares candid insights from her journey scaling Ilus Management Consulting, reflecting on recruiting "little pockets of gems," adapting to remote work shifts, embedding military leadership values, and how intentional appreciation can unlock team energy and innovation.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Surviving and Scaling During Hard Times

• Resilience through COVID: Ebony details how, despite post-COVID and pandemic market struggles, Ilus remained focused, made infrastructure changes, and adopted new strategies that propelled growth.

  • Quote: “We were really steadfast in hard times. We had a hard time post Covid through Covid, but we remained focused and we put in a lot of new strategies.” – Ebony Wilkins (01:12)

• Strategic Investments: Relief funding enabled investments in crucial timekeeping, HR, and recruiting systems.

  • Quote: “We were able to really put in a concrete timekeeping system in place, invest in HR systems, invest in recruiting systems. So it really helped us be able to be more functional and efficient.” – Ebony Wilkins (01:39)

2. Recruiting and Retaining the Right People

• Pandemic Shifts: Managing remote expectations clashed with client demands for in-person staffing, especially among younger employees seeking flexibility and high pay.

  • Quote: “We stayed consistent...we were able to find those now what we call little pockets of gems of people who wanted to integrate and be around the different people.” – Ebony Wilkins (02:30)

• Employee Appreciation as a Selling Point: Ilus focused on competitive offers and genuine recognition, spotlighting what made each candidate tick.

  • Quote: “One of the things that we are very good at is selling our company, selling how we do employee appreciation and how we are willing to go the extra mile to give you a signing bonus and just to kind of work with you a little bit more.” – Ebony Wilkins (03:20)

3. The Emotional Payoff and Surprising Moments in Leadership

• Wilkins describes the pride in watching her employees represent the business externally, a moving marker of company growth.
  • Quote: “One of the most surprising things...is when I see an employee...having a meeting and they're having your company shirt on. That has just played at the strings of my heart.” – Ebony Wilkins (04:27)

4. Adapting to Scale and Strategic Growth

• Growing Pains: Ebny was candid about feeling unprepared for large-scale contracts and responded with focused team sessions to ensure they maintained operational excellence.
  • Quote: “When we got bigger scale contracts, okay, how do we really want to show up?...We really did a lot of strategic planning, strategic sessions...” – Ebony Wilkins (05:05)

5. Productivity as a Founder and Parent

• Time Management: Ebony crafts her workday around her kids, with focused morning internal meetings and external partner/client work afternoons.

  • Quote: “My kids come first. So no meetings will start before I get them off to school...typically no meetings after 5:00pm when they're home.” – Ebony Wilkins (05:49, 06:13)

• Organizational Style: She leans on sticky notes and notebooks—“old school” methods to keep on track.

  • Quote: “Unfortunately my desk is like plagued with sticky notes...But notebook person. So I still like to the tangible reminders.” – Ebony Wilkins (07:22)

6. Military Background & Transition

• Skills Transfer: Her decade in Army logistics taught her to compartmentalize, lead, and persist, all vital for business.

  • Quote: “Being in the military, you have this can do attitude...that mindset sticks with you and you're ready and you're poised and you're prepared to take on so many different roles.” – Ebony Wilkins (08:33)

• Resourcefulness: As a new business owner, she “figured it out,” leveraging the SBA, Google, local groups, and the wisdom of peers.

  • Quote: “Google was my best friend. I was very intentional with Google and then just kind of getting and talking to people and learning about other resources...” – Ebony Wilkins (09:57)

7. Key Lessons and Mistakes

• On Overpaying Early Hires: Bringing people in above market rate and then trying to correct created challenges and perceptions of unfairness.

  • Quote: “In my early days, too eager to bring people on...a higher salary than what was the market rate...then trying to pull that back...became a difficult task.” – Ebony Wilkins (11:08)

• On Documentation: Not properly documenting performance also caused headaches down the line.

• On Timing in Hiring: Having a strong “bench” of candidates ready for when clients’ needs dictate timing.

8. Standing Out in a Crowded Market

• Young Talent in Marketing: She credits young employees for creative digital marketing strategies and pushes herself to step in front of the camera, despite initial discomfort.

  • Quote: “Hire a young person to do your marketing...They have the fresh ideas...I never thought about that. That's good.” – Ebony Wilkins (13:22)
  • Quote: “[They suggested] me doing videos, selling myself…they really pushed me. Even though I wasn't all that comfortable...” – Ebony Wilkins (13:52)

• Strategic Social Media Usage: Focuses on the platforms where clients are (LinkedIn, Facebook), intentionally tags partners, and has grown online followers from 800 to nearly 4,000 in three years.

  • Quote: “Our followers have grown tremendously...from about 800 followers to almost 4,000 now.” – Ebony Wilkins (15:17)

9. Empowerment through Ownership and Appreciation

• Public Recognition: Wilkins emphasizes the importance of crediting team members publicly and internally, which keeps creativity and morale high.
  • Quote: “I make sure that I acknowledge them publicly and internally to our firm because I want to make sure that they understand the value that you bring and that you are appreciated.” – Ebony Wilkins (16:22)

10. Overcoming Fear of the Public Eye

• Advice to Founders: “You are the best person to sell your products or service and no one can sell it the way you do.”

  • Quote: “If you need help with your messaging, get it. But you are definitely the best person.” – Ebony Wilkins (17:02)

• Progress through Practice: On getting comfortable with video marketing:

  • Quote: “It took time...Practice is the best medicine. And I started to practice and get more comfortable and then it just flowed and it was easy breezy.” – Ebony Wilkins (17:26)

11. Navigating Challenges in Government Contracting

• Strategic Focus: Stay clear-eyed about your ideal clients and don’t try to be everything to everyone in a sprawling market.
  • Quote: “You really have to lean into what you're comfortable with and understanding who buys your products or services...you really have to be strategic...” – Ebony Wilkins (17:58)

12. Culture and Values: A Balancing Act

• Both are equally important internally and externally, influencing not only team cohesion, but also client fit and retention.
  • Quote: “You can be just the brightest person or just have all the expertise, but if you don't fit into their culture, it becomes to be a divide...for us, it's both culture and values.” – Ebony Wilkins (18:34)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On seeing employees represent Ilus:
  “That has just played at the strings of my heart. It’s just been a magical moment...that I just would cherish forever.” (04:27)

• On being appreciated as a young marketing employee:
  "It’s invigorating for them and I make sure that I acknowledge them publicly and internally...it keeps them going, they have no shortage of ideas." (16:22)

• On advice for founders stepping out of their comfort zone:
  "You are the best person to sell your products or service and no one can sell it the way you do.” (17:02)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:12] Ebony's journey and post-COVID growth strategies
• [02:30] Recruiting challenges and finding talent during/after pandemic
• [03:20] Employee appreciation and incentivizing new hires
• [04:27] Emotional payoff of seeing team represent the company
• [05:05] Strategic planning for scaling and bigger contracts
• [05:49] Time management philosophy as a founder and parent
• [07:22] Old-school organization tactics
• [08:33] Utilizing military leadership lessons in business
• [11:08] Lessons learned from early mistakes (overpaying, documentation)
• [13:22] Empowering young staff for effective marketing; embracing videos
• [15:17] Social media growth and intentional strategies
• [16:22] The impact of public recognition for innovation
• [17:02] Founders as the face & best salesperson of their business
• [17:58] Navigating the challenges of government contracting
• [18:34] The importance of both values and culture internally & externally

Final Thoughts

This episode, rich in practical details and grounded advice, highlights how resilience, intentional appreciation, and openness to new ideas shape a sustainable, growth-oriented company culture. Ebony Wilkins’ story is a must-listen for founders and team leaders seeking to balance strong leadership, employee appreciation, and authentic business evolution.