The Business Problem:

Big Dreams Are IN—Bad Habits Are OUT 

When Arbill first began working with Rhythm, CEO Julie Copeland was pursuing an inspiring dream. She had inherited the company from her father, and she wanted to create a lasting legacy—to seriously impact people’s lives by reducing injury in the workplace.

To make this dream a reality, the Arbill team needed to let go of unhelpful habits. They were in a reactive state of mind, waiting until their monthly financials came out to see if they had incurred losses. This meant that week after week, they missed opportunities to make adjustments that could positively impact their numbers.

Accountability was not yet a central element of their culture, meaning that managers were wasting time micromanaging instead of setting their reports up for success and confidently letting them execute their goals. 

It was time for Arbill to embrace change. The Rhythm team was ready to help.

How Rhythm Helped:

A New Way of Working and Thinking 

As the Arbill team adopted Rhythm processes and habits, they grew into a new way of working—and a new way of thinking about their goals. Rhythm experts coached them towards identifying and correcting problems early rather than waiting for their monthly financials. This new mindset required the Arbill team to set leading indicator KPIs and status on a forecast to predict and avoid potential failures. 

The Arbill team courageously stepped into a culture of accountability, starting with collaborative planning sessions. Managers worked with their reports to develop goals so that each individual employee knew what they were responsible for; then, employees provided weekly progress updates and asked for team support on stuck goals. This structure allowed managers to step back from micromanaging, focus on high-level strategic outcomes, and become coaches for their reports.

All of these improvements compounded year after year. Arbill’s commitment to leveling up enabled them to achieve their first BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal): 1.6 million lives protected! 

The Results:

Protecting Lives and Climbing Higher 

Today, Arbill operates on a superior level. They focus on high-impact priorities, plan for vertical and horizontal alignment, and deliver with a spirit of ownership and teamwork. 

Julie Copeland continues to lead her team with inspiring energy and a sincere commitment to protecting as many lives as possible. Arbill’s next BHAG, with a 2030 deadline, is to protect 4.6 million people a year. In the meantime, they have already:

• Achieved their first BHAG (1.6 million lives protected)
• Became the largest woman-led company in the PPE and safety industry 
• Created a culture of accountability and operational excellence