Beth Carter | Rhode Island Business Competition executive director
When I started my first company, in 1991, our nation was facing a major economic downturn. I started my second company in 2008, which was again a bad time to launch a business. Besides running these two businesses, I joined RIBC and had to manage a virtual awards ceremony due to the pandemic that was not easy.
I have learned a lot during these crises, but the one major lesson is that to be a successful entrepreneur, business owner and leader, I needed to be in the trenches with not only my staff but also my clients.
For my clients, I need to find out what they are struggling with, what their successes are, and most importantly, what is keeping them up at night. I try to be a resource for them, including connecting them with others, providing customized services, referring business and just listening, so maybe they can develop their own solution.
For my staff, I want to understand what is working and not working – and how I can help.
Of course, all of this is very time-consuming, especially for entrepreneurs with limited funds and time.
My advice is simple – list everyone who you want to reach out to and select one a day to connect with for 30 minutes. By the end of the week, you will be surprised what an impact you have made on others, which hopefully will benefit you in the future.