Comments on: Yellowbook CEO Walsh to Step Down

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 26 Sep 2013 17:52:31 +0000

As someone who knows him well, “full of himself” is the last phrase I would use to describe him.

By: anonymous

anonymous — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 18:07:12 +0000

I sat and read the many comments and pondered what to say. I will guess that many of the people with the exception of one who stated she/he has been with YB for 8 years does can not really talk with true knowledge of Joe. No one mentioned how he bought the soon to be bankrupt and kicked to the curb Donnelly Directors of PA, MD and DC. in the late 90’s and turned them into very profitable books. His vision of the industry is second to none. Personally meeting the man more than a dozen times and spending time sitting on the floor at a resort watching the final four basketball tournament I can say that when he says he is going to do something he does. Has the industry changed? Hell yes, but I am sure that it was not Joe and Joe alone who put the company in the financial hardship it is in. I am actually willing to bet that he opposed some of the purchases yellowbook made. The problem that we all will face (at least those of in sales who actually make the $$ for the company) it this. Search is not the answer, eliminate the directory and many many businesses will struggle. The cost for SEO and SEM is out of reach for the majority of Small Business Owners. I did not get the chance to ask Joe his thoughts on search or DM or the many other things we sell right before he left unfortunatly. I will say this, what every direction he wanted to go I am sure it was the right way. Those that were not here from the beginning should really not say anything. Walk the streets of North East Philly and ask a business owner about the Donnelly Directory. If you don’t like profanity don’t ask!! The man was the right person for the job and when working for a publicly traded company the board just doesn’t agree sometimes and the majority rules. Those that stated with YB in the early part of 2000 you should be very thankful, Joe made your job very easy!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 18:13:59 +0000

Why isn’t there any press on Jim McCusker getting let go last week? That’s huge news and nothing reported. There was mention internally of possible investigation but no mention of why.

By: FormerYBSales

FormerYBSales — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 15:13:44 +0000

Any time I see a CEO who is full of themselves, and get the ax (always funny to read their resignation communications: he resigned “for the good of the company”.. benevolently.. what a guy… allowing someone else to “bring it into the next phase”..LOL!!)

Like most of these overpaid egomaiacs, Walsh is viewed as a “visionary” by the middle managers he hires. His vision was good. in 1990. since then, he spent huge capital which the company didnt have, on acquisitons which simply grew the appearance of success borrowing to build products whose life was limited. Apparently he didnt have enough vision to integrate technology while they churned and burned their valuable local relationships and salespeople who could have made transition to new platforms with customers seamless. Instead, they hire with mistruth, paid poorly and make working there intolerable and easily replaced. So, now they are what they are.
A functionally bankrupt company with a new name, (HIBU?!) with not many reps or customers loyal to them who want to help. Many waiting, like, when Ssaddams Statue fell, to cheer.

Walsh’s exodus was the best chance they had to survive. Just not paying his salary would help the bottom line and could probably hire about 100 sales people for 10 years.

By: Brian Maggio Jr

Brian Maggio Jr — Sun, 05 Aug 2012 09:28:20 +0000

My name is Brian Maggio Jr and I’m still an employee of Yellowbook. I just happened to google Joe Walsh’s name and came across this website. I just happened to think about Joe because of an experience I had when he came to San Antonio a couple of years ago.
The Austin and New braunfels office came all the way down to San Antonio after we found out that Mr. Walsh was coming to say hi to us. This was about three years ago, so at the time, there was about 40-60 reps with all of the offices combined.
I was extremely exhausted that morning after working out before the meeting. Yellow book was my 1st corporate job and I have never met a CEO of anything before. I wasn’t excited and didn’t know what the big deal was. It seemed like everyone was getting ready for the second coming that morning.
Joe Walsh came into the San Antonio office that morning and just blended in. He didn’t need any celebrity like induction, he just wanted to shake hands and say thank you for all of the hard work.
I was at the far end of the office and almost falling to sleep while everyone else was pepped and ready to shake hands and talk to him. For what ever reason, which still makes me wonder at times, Joe came up to me to shake hands and wonder how I was doing. We had a good 10 minute conversation and it was very unexpected. I never would of thought he would come up to the rep at the far end of the office trying to keep his eyes open while everyone else was trying to get his attention.
My eyes did, however, open up wide when he started to speak.
Keep in mind, before this meeting, I thought that people with this much wealth and success grew up with the tools that helped them get there. They were either surrounded with wealth, or just was lucky enough to know investors.
Joe told a story based on vision. He said he had a certain vision since he was a kid, and he focused on that vision everyday. He said he grew up in a below middle class upbringing and his parents never made above 20,000/yr income. He visioned buying his parents a house one day. He never visioned fancy cars, erotic women, or a celebrity status, he just wanted to have enough money to buy his parents a home one day. He then visioned helping pave the way for other people to buy their parents a house.
Joe built his dream from the vision he had and inspired me to have my own vision. I truly do believe in the laws of attraction and I believe that if you vision something that you want, you will find away to get it.
Thank you Joe, for coming down to San Antonio, shaking my hand, and being an inspiration. No one knows the future of Yellowbook, but you will always be known as the great person who lead the company through its best years..

By: Max Andrews

Max Andrews — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 21:16:38 +0000

Joe Walsh is the greatest leader I’ve ever known. He is the perfect example of an extraordinary CEO that has the gift and abilty to communicate with all levels of an organization while leading with enthusiasm that is second to none. I am proud and fortunate be be able to say I truely worked for one of the greatest visionaries of all times. YB, the Yellow Page industry and the thousands of employees and friends that have been fortunate to work for this amazing individual should all be grateful for the opportunity. Joe, thanks for all you have given and all you have done! God Bless You!

By: Jeremy McCaslin

Jeremy McCaslin — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 00:42:51 +0000

Mr. Walsh,

I just wanted to say God bless you in your new endeavors and thank you for your wonderful leadership of our company. I am an 8 and half year YELLOWBOOK rep and it has been a blessing to me and my family. May God bless you and your family and thanks again for this wonderful opportunity to work for this GREAT company. You have been an excellent leader and it has been a privilege and honor to work with you.

Sincerely,

Jeremy McCaslin

By: Elliott Epstein

Elliott Epstein — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 19:59:18 +0000

Joe , I worked for you and against you for many years in this industry
I was amazed by your focus to grow Yellow Book to win the Yellow page wars.
You created havock as a competitor with bell and independants alike, you
have won more battles than you even know about yet. The consolidation
you have had the vision to talk about in denver is coming and the white
flags may be raised even after your depaeture. I will always respect
and admire what you accomplished.I wish you and your family well and
know you will succeed at what ever you do next, as you my friend are a
winner by nature and will only accomplish more down the next fork in the road. I hope I will have the opportunity to see you do it all over again!

one of the Fab Five

By: Lisa

Lisa — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 15:20:04 +0000

Joe, I worked for Yellowbook for several years and respected what you brought to the small business…the opportunity to compete! You are young, eager and wanted to be the best. You took Yellowbook to the top and I appreciated that. I was proud to represent your company. Small business is the backbone of the this country. People like you that gave small business an opportunity to grow will be solely missed. I wish nothing but the best for you and your family. God Bless You!!

By: suzie

suzie — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 01:47:41 +0000

I really sad by this news. Joe was a tremendous leader and will be missed.